■
■
Package Purchases
Slowing as Users,
Vendors Mature
By Don Leavitt
Of the CW Staff
MINNEAPOLIS — A slowdown in the acquisition
of software packages has developed, partly because
users now realize there’s more to installing a package
than paying the price and “plugging it in,” according
to a firm that is studying the package and computer
services market.
Many users have acquired packages to cover
critical applications. Now they recognize the cost —
in time and money — needed to get those projects
completely operational and shaped to their needs, ac¬
cording to Richard Sherman, president of Info-
Dyne, Inc. here.
For their part, software vendors are learning how
to help their clients more than they have in the past.
The firms realize the “terrific documentation
shortage” that existed even as sales were booming in
the past few years, Sherman said.
The vendors see that good user manuals and good
installation manuals are vital parts of a package if
users are to cope with the software after vendor
personnel have left, he said.
Info- Dyne is working under contract to New York-
based Frost & Sullivan, Inc., a market research firm
which plans a full-length report on packages and
services in late April or early May. Comprehensive
questionnaires were mailed to 3,000 installations,
large and small, and another set with different ques¬
tions went out to 800 vendors.
Sherman said his company has had a 10% return
CW Special Report on applications pack¬
ages follows Page 38.
from users and nearly 20% from vendors. He is anx¬
ious, however, to hear from anyone who has received
a questionnaire but not completed it.
Detailed statistical analysis will be done in late
March, so there is still time to help, he noted.
In the responses received thus far, “the most signifi¬
cant trend” is the high interest in data base manage¬
ment systems and related products shown by large in¬
stallations, Sherman said. This really “jumped out”
at the researchers even though the questionnaire did
nothing to encourage any particular interest pattern,
he added.
(Continued on Page 6)
THE NEWSWEEKLY FOR THE COMPUTER COMMUNITY
Weekly Newspaper
Second-class postage paid at Boston, Mass., and additional mailing offices
© 1977 by Computerworld, Inc.
February 28, 1977
Vol. XI, No. 9
But Omits DP Recommendations
EFT Unit Asks Limit on Federal Access
Price: $ 15/year
- Cobol Enters
Micro World
By Don Leavitt
Of the CW Staff
LONDON — The language barrier has
been broken: Cobol has been implemented
as the source language for several
microcomputers and is now available for a
widening range of the low-cost units.
The breakthrough was engineered by
CAP Microsoft, a subsidiary of Computer
Analysts and Programmers Ltd. (CAP),
and is based on “cross-translator” software
residing on a standard Digital Equipment
Corp. PDP-1 1 to which the micros were at¬
tached.
The software developed by Microsoft ap¬
pears to offer something even more vital
than standard language: portability. The
system is “completely, repeat completely,
[microjprocessor-independent,” a CAP
spokesman claimed.
Programs written in Microcobol have
been compiled on the PDP-1 1 and executed
on Intel 80/10 and 80/20 single-board com¬
puters and on Motorola 6800 micros, the
spokesman noted. “We have Texas Instru¬
ments TMS 9900 and Zilog Z80 coming and
we are looking at Signetics 2650 and
Fairchild F8,” he added.
CAP said it believes the Intel and
Motorola units cover “80% of the market.
So [the first implementations] cover a lot of
ground.”
Portability Significance
The portability of the system means the
same program runs unaltered on more than
one microprocessor and gives the same
results. This is vital, the spokesman em¬
phasized, because the cheapest item in a C?
microcomputer configuration is the proc¬
essor and it will be the most frequently up¬
dated.
Microcobol is not meant as a replacement
for ANS Cobol 74 which CAP said was
designed for large applications on main¬
frame computers. CAP Microsoft’s im¬
plementation was designed for small DP
applications of the type presently practical
on standard board, single-terminal
microcomputers, the spokesman explained.
The Procedure and Data Division of
Microcobol is “closely modeled” on earlier
(Continued on Page 5) \
By Toni Wiseman
Of the CW Staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Legislation
should be enacted giving individuals the
right to contest any government access to
their financial information contained in
electronic funds transfer (EFT) systems, ac¬
cording to an interim report released by the
National Commission on EFT here last
week.
The long-awaited report, however, con¬
tained little that was new or unexpected and
completely omitted any recommendations
related to the DP industry, opting instead
for further study in those areas.
The consumer’s interests were considered
by the commission to be the most critical
factor in all its recommendations, the
report noted.
In the past, federal, common and statu¬
tory law have all ignored the issue of the
right to access or use financial records held
by banks, the commission said.
To provide more privacy for such records,
the report recommended new legislation
that would give consumers the right to con¬
test access to the information by govern¬
mental units.
Further, the commission pointed out one
appoach to protect privacy would be to
FCC: No
By Edith Holmes
Of the CW Staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) last
week decided not to recommend the
breakup of AT&T because a six-year in¬
vestigation had not uncovered “substan¬
tial” evidence of unfair practices to prevent
competition.
At the same time, however, the regulatory
agency said the Bell System could be “even
more responsive to consumer needs” and
technological innovations and ordered the
firm to give local Bell telephone companies
a freer hand in ordering new equipment.
Calling AT&T’s overall performance “ex¬
cellent” and its rates reasonable and noting
it had “no substantial record” to support
limit the kind and amount of information
collected and stored in such systems, but
added that it did not feel it could make such
a recommendation at this time.
The commission said EFT could benefit
consumers in a number of significant ways,
prQviding a more convenient, secure and
lower cost means of payment.
“Ultimately, consumers — not financial
institutions, regulatory agencies or com¬
mercial concerns — will determine how
By Edith Holmes
Of the CW Staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) con¬
sidered and adopted “a new and expanded
definition of DP” last week, according to
Commissioner Richard E. Wiley.
Under the definition which it has pro¬
posed for public comment, the regulatory
agency would have the distinction between
DP and data communications lie in terms
EFT will operate,” the report said.
“If some EFT applications fail to meet
their needs, consumers will reject them.
Government and the financial industry
must assure consumers that the problems
they foresee will not occur.”
The commission recommended a study be
conducted to determine what actions will be
necessary to make available the benefits of
EFT to low-income people, who tradi-
(Continued on Page 4)
of the activity for which a terminal is used
rather than its isolated functional opera¬
tions, Wiley told the Fourth Annual
Caucus of the Computer & Communica¬
tions Industry Association (CCIA) here.
The definition turns on the difference be-
Coverage of the CCIA Caucus continues
on Page 7.
tween “smart” and “dumb” terminals, he
added.
“The FCC suggests that DP be defined as
‘the electronically automated processing of
information wherein: (a) the information
content, or meaning, of the information is
in any way transformed, or (b) where the
output information constitutes a pro¬
grammed response to input information.’ ”
The agency’s failure to clarify the “smart
terminal” issue earlier was “graphically
brought to light in the FCC’s review of
AT&T's Dataspeed 40/4 terminal and the
problem we experienced in attempting to
determine if this was essentially a DP or a
data communications device,” Wiley said.
The commission has proposed that three
basic types of processing activities con¬
stitute DP:
• Arithmetic processing such as general
commercial accounting, inventory control,
banking and point-of-sale processing,
(Continued on Page 6)
Breakup of AT&T
proposals that the massive utility be severed
from its manufacturing and research arms,
the FCC concluded Western Electric Co.
and Bell Telephone Laboratories should
continue as part of the Bell System unless
the courts and Congress decide otherwise.
The commission had studied the matter
for six years and two months ago heard
final arguments by its own trial staff and
AT&T’s competitors that a divestiture of
Western Electric would increase competi¬
tion in the telecommunications industry
[CW, Dec. 20],
Lacking the authority to do more than
recommend that the Bell system not be split
into its component parts, the FCC essen¬
tially referred the divestiture decision to the
(Continued on Page 6)
FCC Defines 'DP’ as Difference
Between Smart, Dumb Terminals
Page 2
COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
COMPUTERWORLD
THt NE WSWt f Kl V IOK EHf COMPUlfR COMMUNITY
T M US Rat Oft
EDITORIAL
Editor
L. Drake Lundell Jr.
Deputy Editor
Ronald A. Frank
Managing Editor
Nancy French
Associate Editor
Donald Leavitt
Associate Editor
Esther Surden
Associate Editor
Molly Upton
Assistant Editor
John P. Hebert
Computer Industry
Editor
Toni Wiseman
Washington Bureau
Fdilh Holmes
Staff Writer
Catherine Arnst
Chief Copy Editor
Cheryl M. Gelb
Copy Editors
Bobbi C. Slernheim
Photography Editor
Barbara T. VanScoyoc
Ann Dooley
Editorial Assistant
Denise Pelski
Editorial Cartoonist
Jim Orton
Bureaus:
London
Roger R. Frampton
Munich
Dr. Gerhard Maurer
Asia
Hidelsuna Sasaki
Contributors:
Education
J. Daniel Couger
Legal
Roy N. Freed
Taylor Reports
Alan Taylor
Human Connection
Jack Stone
Contributing Editor
Edward J. Bride
SALES
Vice President/
Marketing
Roy Einreinhofer
Advertising
Administrator
Judy Milford
Display Advertising
Sara Sleets
Classified Advertising
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Recruitment Advertising Kathy Steinberg
Sales Promotion
Director
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Market Research
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CIRCULATION
Vice-President/
Circulation
Margaret Phelan
Circulation Manager
Barbara Jeannelti
PRODUCTION
Manager
Lee Vidmer
Supervisor
Henry Fling
Assistant Manager
Peter Holm
Please address all correspondence lo the appro¬
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Computerworld, Inc., 797 Washington St.,
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COMPUTERWORLD, INC.
Board Chairman/
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President
VP-Marketing
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30 Pays to File Tariffs
N.Y. Phone Firms Get Interconnect Date
By Ronald A. Frank
Of theCW Stafr
ALBANY, N.Y. — Phone companies
operating in New York State have been
given 30 days to file tariffs that will allow
the direct connection of customer-provided
data and other equipment.
The New York Public Service Com¬
mission (PSC) issued the order to apply to
data and ancillary (phone-answering)
equipment and ordered the phone com¬
panies to submit economic data within 60
days on why the direct interconnection
should not be expanded to telephones,
keysets and switchboards.
Customer-provided equipment could be
connected to the phone net after undergo¬
ing a certification procedure based on the
certification program instituted by the
Federal Communications Commission
(FCC).
“We’ve satisfied ourselves that the argu¬
ments of harm to the network and
economic harm don’t hold water” because
of studies conducted by the commission
over the last few years, a PSC spokesman
said.
His statement referred to claims made in
the past by the telephone industry that un¬
limited direct interconnection would cause
physical harm to the telephone network and
would result in loss of revenues to the exist¬
ing phone companies.
The PSC conducted an economic study
several years ago which found New York
.Telephone Co. was not charging enough for
its terminal equipment. As a result, the cost
of this equipment was being subsidized by
other services, including service to residen¬
tial users, the study concluded.
Under the PSC order, noncarrier equip¬
ment would be certified by an authorized
engineering laboratory at the request of the
manufacturer. Once a particular modem or
other type of unit had been certified, it
could be connected directly to phone com¬
pany facilities.
National Impact
The PSC order applies only to New York
users, but it takes on added significance in
the light of national issues now before Con¬
gress.
The telephone industry has sponsored the
Consumer Communications Reform Act
and one of its proposals would be to take
the jurisdiction for interconnection away
from the FCC and give it to the states. The
New York order can be interpreted as
blunting some of the impact of the Reform
Act, according to one industry observer.
While the New York order is patterned af¬
ter the FCC program, California also has
an equipment certification program in
operation that allows direct connetion of
customer-owned equipment. The California
and New York state regulatory com¬
missions are considered two of the most
progressive. In other states it is generally
acknowledged that the Bell System receives
more sympathetic consideration, industry
observers said.
‘Responsible Approach’
\
Commenting on the PSC order, a
spokesman for the Independent Data Com¬
munications Manufacturers Association
said it was “a responsible approach to in¬
terconnection. It recognizes the need of the
user for nationwide standards.
“Also, it should put to rest once and for
all the questionable claim of the potential
for technical harm to the network resulting
from interconnection of business equip¬
ment,” he said. “We note also that the com¬
mission action once again affirms there is
no potential for economic harm to the
residential user from the interconnection of
data equipment.”
The largest company affected by the PSC
order is New York Telephone Co. A
spokesman for that firm said “the com¬
mission is being unduly hasty since the issue
is now before a three-judge panel in the
U.S. Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va.
The court will rule on the advisability of
allowing customers to connect their own
telephones, key systems and switchboards
to the nationwide system.
“Since mid-1976, the federal judges have
been examining the basic issues involved in
the proposal, which has been made by the
FCC as part of its registration program.
The basic issues include the economic con¬
sequences of such a proposal on the rates of
the telephone customer, protection against
technical harm and public interest consider¬
ations.”
An AT&T spokesman said “until the
issues of the federal program are resolved
— including the question of whether the
FCC has the authority to preempt state
regulation in the area — we believe it is pre¬
mature and wasteful of time and money for
state commissions to proceed with
establishing regulations for direct connec¬
tion of customer-provided telephone equip¬
ment.”
The New York PSC spokesman said the
commission had adopted the order to show
the interconnection actions of state com¬
missions could proceed even though some
questions about the federal program have
not been resolved.
The FCC certification program is cur¬
rently in force only for customer-provided
data and ancillary equipment. A final
decision on carrier-provided data and an¬
cillary equipment plus telephone, keysta¬
tion and PBX equipment has not yet been
made by the U.S. appeals court.
Corrections
In “I/O Interface Standard Closer” [CW,
Feb. 21], the American National Standards
Institute (Ansi), its X3 committee and
X3T9 subcommittee were incorrectly iden¬
tified as part of the National Bureau of
Standards (NBS). Ansi is an independent
standards organization whose members in¬
clude a representative from the NBS.
In “Xerox Users Pleased With Show of
Support From HIS” [CW, Feb. 14], the
statement by Randy Best, president of Ex¬
change, the Xerox users group, should have
been: “ . . . we’ve gotten such things as
MOS memory at one-eighth or one-tenth
the price we previously paid for core main¬
tenance,” not “the price we paid for core.”
The core price itself was reduced by about
50%.
In "SSA Cracks Medicare Security
System," Rep. John F. Moss (D-Calif.) was
inadvertently identified as Frank E. Moss.
On the Inside This Week
NEWS
IBM Investing in IBM; Makes Stock Bid . . 4
Racal Triumphs Over ADDS in Battle to Acquire Milgo ... 5
SBS Plans to Promote User-Premise Earth Stations . 7
Internal Auditors Found Poor Buffer Against DP Crime. . . 8
Revising Antitrust Laws Could Prevent Many Lawsuits .'.11
Peripherals Mart Entry Barred by IBM: Memorex . 12
System Feeds Decision-Making Data to Unesco . 13
Prototype System to Link Travel Agents With Airlines. . . 15
EDITORIAL
Editorial: Taxing the System . 16
Human Connection: Hobbyist Requires ‘Spouseware’ . . . 17
Taylor Report: Uphill Battle to End DP as ‘Scapegoat’. . . 17
Success Can Be Hollow If It’s Gained Currying Favor ... 18
Novice DP Grad, Veteran DPer With B.A. Prove Equal . . 19
SOFTWARE & SERVICES
Acquisition of Dictionary Insures Benefits of DBMS . 21
IDMS Gets Sequential Processing Facility . - . 22
Installing First Package? Prepare to Work Long, Hard . . 23
Package Cuts CICS Coding Time . 24
COMMUNICATIONS
Cado Add-On Turns Dataspeed 40-2 Into DP Device ... 27
Terminal Users Seen Moving Away From Mainframers. . 28
TERMINAL TRANSACTIONS
WU Data Adds Ansi X3.28 Buffer to Model 33 . 30
Memorex 1377 CRT Made Compatible With IBM 3 . 31
SYSTEMS & PERIPHERALS
IBM Users Experiencing Gains With Amdahl 470 . 33
PDP-11/34 Upgrades DEC Graphics Terminal System . . 34
Mass Storage User Expects to Cut Drives by Half . 36
On-Line Service Matches Patients to Nursing Homes ... 37
MINIWORLD
Dispersed DP Solves User’s Problems . 41
Car Dealer Gets Good Mileage From In-House Mini _ 42
Researchers Say Mixed-Vendor Site ‘Not That Bad’ .... 43
HP Plotter Selects Four Colors . . 44
COMPUTER INDUSTRY
User Loyalty, Shipments Decline in ’76 . 47
Input Predicts Financial Services Doubling by ’81 . 47
Cambridge Memories Says Debt Now ‘Manageable’ .... 49
'67 Study: CDC Strengths Greater Than Weaknesses ... 50
IBM Reversed Its View of CDC’s Destiny in 1966 . 51
Hobby Micros Not Staying Home; Pertec Eyes Market . . 52
Intel Single-Chip Family Includes Three Members . 53
Realistic Has 8080 Systems With Fortran . 54
IBM Expenditures for R&D Top $1 Billion Mark in 76 . . . 57
★ CW Special Report on Applications Packages Follows Page 38 ★
“Why the devil
don’t you put
out a SyncSort
for DOS users?”
“We just have.”
(As of May 1, all SyncSort users
are created equal!)
Call (201) 568-9700
Line up a DOS
sorting adventure!
OVERSEAS REPRESENTATIVES -
Brussels: CAP/GEMINI/CES '
Dusseldorf: GAP/GEMINI GmbH
Geneva: CAP/SOGETI
Hague: CAP-GEMINI/PANDATA
London: GEMINI Ltd.
Melbourne: Shell Oil Co. of Australia
Milan: SYNTTAX
Paris: CAP/SOGETI PRODUITS
Sao Paulo: Deltacom do Brasil
Stockholm: BRA
Tel Aviv: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, Ltd.
Vienna: Ratio
WHITLOW
COMPUTER SYSTEMS Inc.
We are pleased to announce — with a great deal of psychic
relief — that the new DOS version of SyncSort will make its
appearance on May Day.
Over the past couple of years we’ve been busier than a dog
with fleas as we brought forth a number of SyncSorts for OS
and OS/VS users.
In that happy process, we discovered a lot of things about
sorting that nobody ever knew before. (As a matter of fact,
some of the old techniques that we invented are just now
beginning to show up in strange places, like our competitor’s
sort. Pure coincidence, no doubt.)
But busy and happy as we were, we always kept hearing this
nagging little voice: “When are you going to give those 8,500
DOS users out there a sophisticated, high performance sort?’’
Well, that’s exactly what we’re giving you now. SyncSort
DOS is every bit as efficient and advanced a sorting program
as SyncSort lll-and-a-half. We made it that way by carrying
everything we’d learned in OS and OS/VS sorting over into
DOS and DOS/VS.
The result is something new — the first high-performance,
economical DOS sort. It will pare your use of machine and
human resources considerably on the commercial
computer’s most frequently executed (and mis-executed)
job — sorting.
Preliminary tests indicate that SyncSort DOS will yield the
same kind of outstanding savings that SyncSort OS and
OS/VS have been experiencing:
• 33% reduction in Elapsed Time.
• 25% improvement in Background Performance.
• 31% reduction in True CPU Time.
.• 32% reduction in I/O activity.
• 70% reduction in Disk Space as measured in
disk-kilobyte minutes.
On the human side, SyncSort DOS will be just as easy to
install and use as every sort we make. And it will give you
exactly the same kind of quality sort support that has made
SyncSort such a pleasure for OS and OS/VS users. And as
we continue to expand the art of sorting, you’ll continue to
receive new features as they come along.
Finally SyncSort DOS may have a mysterious quality that we
referto around here as the “Frankenstein Factor.” It may —
just may — have a hand in rejuvenating a lot of DOS systems
previously given up for dead.
A certain Hardware Manufacturer is going to hate SyncSort
DOS. But there’s absolutely no reason why you should!
So DOS users of the world, arise and give us a call. You have
nothing to lose but bum sorting!
560 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 07632
Page 4
COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
i
IBM Investing in IBM; Makes Stock Bid
By Molly Upton
Of the CW Staff
ARMONK, N.Y. — IBM has offered to
buy back up to four million of its stock
shares at $280 apiece.
The firm indicated it “considers a
purchase of its shares at this time to be an
attractive investment for a portion of its
funds.”
The offer, which could cost the firm a
total of $1.54 billion, is scheduled to expire
March 7. Prior to the offer, IBM stock was
priced at $270.12.
At the end of 1976, IBM had 150.8 million
shares outstanding and cash reserves of
$6.16 billion, including $208.6 million in
cash and $5.95 billion in marketable
securities.
Analysts have speculated the move is a
way to decrease the firm’s cash deposits as
well as a result of the dismissal of California
Computer Products, Inc.’s suit against
IBM.
After Judge Ray McNichols threw out
EFT Commission Issues Report
(Continued from Page 1)
tionally do not deal with financial institu¬
tions, while ensuring that their rights and
freedom of choice are preserved.
The interim report did take a stand on the
much-debated consumer issue of liability.
“The depository- institution should be
liable for erroneous, unauthorized or fraud¬
ulent use of the account unless the deposi¬
tory institution can demonstrate [that it
used] reasonable care and that consumer
negligence or fraud substantially con¬
tributed to the erroneous, unauthorized or
fraudulent act,” the report stated.
Consumer negligence, it suggested, could
result from carelessness about the security
of the personal identification code needed
to instigate a transaction; failure to report
card loss or compromise of the identifica¬
tion code when the delay causes the loss; or
unreasonable delay in reporting un¬
authorized uses.
Once the consumer has notified the depos¬
itory institution, however, he is no longer
liable for unauthorized transactions, the
report said.
The report recommended rules regarding
the deployment of off-premise EFT termi¬
nals should be distinct from and less restric¬
tive than those for “brick and mortar”
branches.
The commission said regulations should
apply to services and not the branch termi¬
nals providing them; no legally imposed
geographic restrictions should prevent de¬
pository institutions from offering debit
services such as payment for goods, the
commission believes.
Problem of Sharing
The commission reiterated its position
that the best models for the sharing of
developmental and operational responsi¬
bilities for EFT systems are those found in
federal antitrust principles.
Recognizing, however, the significant in¬
jury that could be incurred by smaller in¬
stitutions because of the “historical delay”
in antitrust litigation, the report made
specific recommendations for improve¬
ments in procedures available under an¬
titrust laws for dealing with EFT sharing.
This would entail a “simple, inexpensive”
procedure for expedited access to a network
through an injunction from a U.S. district
court upon proof that “no alternative
system was available and a prima facie
showing that serious economic injury
would most likely result from exclusion.”
With regard to the role of the federal
government — and specifically the Federal
Reserve System — in the deployment and
operation of an electronic payment system,
the commission found “the historical part¬
nership between the public and private sec¬
tor has worked well in creating and main¬
taining the nation's payments system and
believes that this partnership should con¬
tinue.”
The commission supports the “Fed’s” in¬
volvement in the operations and develop¬
ment of automated clearinghouses, the
report stated. At the same time, the com¬
mission recommended the private sector be
encouraged to maintain and increase its
participation in the development of pay¬
ment clearing systems.
The federal government “should not be
involved operationally, at present or in the
foreseeable future, in point-of-sale switch¬
ing and clearing facilities except for the pro¬
vision of net settlement among depository
institutions,” the commission saicj, but add¬
ed that it did not mean to preclude possible
future government intervention to correct
market imbalances or to ensure an efficient
national payments system. i
Calcomp’s suit against IBM, the firm may
have decided it didn’t need such sizable
cash reserves for possible damage pay¬
ments, according to Harry Edelson, senior
analyst at Drexel Burnham & Co.
However, an IBM spokesman denied that
funds had been set aside in the event of a
settlement with Calcomp.
The offer is likely to squelch a stock split
this year, Edelson predicted. “It wouldn’t
be proper to buy in stock and then declare
a split. I don’t think [IBM will] split the
stock before next January, but I think it will
do it then,” he commented.
IBM said it would accept all of up to four
million shares tendered and, at its own op¬
tion, buy any or all of them up to 5.5
million. If the offer is oversubscribed, the
firm will prorate its purchases.
An IBM spokesman said the offer is un¬
related to IBM’s employee stock purchase
plan for which the firm last year bought
567,000 shares.
Explosion Hits
IBM Building
NEW YORK — A “low-order” ex¬
plosive device shattered a large plate
glass window in the 20-story IBM-
owned and -occupied building on
Madison Ave. here recently.
The explosion, which injured no one
and did no other damage to the building,
was believed to have been caused by a
“cherry bomb” or similar type of fire¬
cracker. Three males were seen fleeing
the scene shortly after the window was
destroyed.
A note left on the scene claimed IBM
software “stinks” and made reference to
alleged “racist machinations” involving
programmers.
A spokesman for IBM would not con¬
firm speculation by authorities that the
incident was caused by disgruntled em¬
ployees.
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CUSTOMER
NEED
Easy-to- Read
Display
Ability to Enter Data
Anywhere on Screen
High Operator
Throughput
Low Operator
Fatigue
Convenient Switching
LocaiyOn Line
Simplified Interfacing
to Printer
Easily
Accessible •
Mode Controls
HighSpeed
Numeric Input
Simplified Program
Debugging
Cost
Effectiveness
In quantities of 25.
PERKIN
ELMER
ADDS
LEAR
SIEGLER
DE9 .
FEATURES
FOX-1 100
520
ADM-3
VT-52
9X12 Matrix for highly legible characters
Yes
No
No
No
Black on white or white on black display
Yes
No
No.
No
Display at eye level
Yes
No i
No
No
Display set deep in hood to reduce glare
Yes
No
No
Yes
Full 24 X 80 display
Yes
Yes
Option
Yes
Full 96 character set, upper and lower case
Yes*
No
Option '
Yes
Easy-to-find block cursor
Yes
No
f •:
Option
No
Complete cursor addressing and control
Yes
Yes
Option
Yes
. «•
Tab stops that can be set to any column
Yra
No
No
No
Tab key
Yes
No
No
*
. • '
Yes .
' ' y . ' '>
Backtab key
Yes
No
No
No
Shiftlock key
Yes
No-
. , No .
No
Typamatic repeat on sill keys
Yes
No
No
No ‘ . .
Separate print key
Yes
Yes
No
No
Backspace key
Yes
•t
Yes
No
Ye, :
Local-remote mode key
Yes
Yes
No
No
**
Fully buffered port to make printer
speed independent of CRT speed
Yes
No
No
No
' ■; V
New line enable key
Yes
No .
No
No ,
Autoline feed key
Yes
,Yes
No
No
Scroll enable key
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Integral numeric pad
Option
No
Option
.
Y"
Transparent mode and displayable"
control characters
Yes
No
aw
- - ; y *'
± |
y
OEM price in quantities of 25 for basic
unit with 24 X 80 display
$971
$1195
,,M!j
February 28, 1977
COMPUTERWORLD
Page 5
Racal Triumphs Over Adds in Battle to Acquire Milgo
By Toni Wiseman
Of the CW Staff
MIAMI — The battle for the spoils of
Milgo Electronic Corp. is finally over.
In the end the UK forces — Racal Elec¬
tronics Ltd. — triumphed over the Ameri¬
can side, Applied Digital Data Systems,
Inc. (Adds), in the closely fought contest to
acquire Milgo.
Some in the industry, however, question
whether the loser might not end up the win¬
ner and the winner, the loser.
The battle commenced last November
when Adds proposed a merger to Milgo’s
directors and was rebuffed.
In an apparent attempt to thwart an ensu¬
ing Adds tender for Milgo stock, Milgo of¬
fered to sell 312,000 shares of unissued
stock to Racal. The result? Adds filed suit
against Milgo and obtained a restraining
order.
For the next three months, the industry
witnessed a high-level game of one-
upmanship.
Adds began its counterattack by offering
one share of a new issue of Adds preferred
stock convertible to 1.5 shares of Adds
common after a year. By last week, Adds
was luring Milgo stockholders with an offer
of one preferred share convertible to 2.25
shares of common after 30 days plus $5 in
cash.
Racal’s offer remained strictly monetary
throughout, but the Briton upped the ante
from $26 to a more tempting $36 by last
week.
When the battle smoke had cleared, Racal
had obtained 861,950 shares of Milgo com¬
mon, slightly more than 50% of the
outstanding stock. Last Monday, under yet
another extension of Racal’s offer. Adds
conceded defeat and tendered the 823,800
shares it had received during the debacle,
bringing Racal’s share to about 98% of the
total outstanding Milgo stock.
At Racal’s final offer of $36 a share, the
conquest of Milgo cost the British firm over
$60 million, of which close to $30 million
will end up in Adds’ pocket.
History to Tell
Neither Adds, Racal nor Milgo had any
comments on either the outcome of the
stock tenders, Adds’ tender of its stock to
Racal or Racal’s plans for the future.
But Harry Edelson, a securities analyst
with Drexel Burnham & Co., did.
“I think this is a cyclical business and only
history-will tell who is actually the winner
and who the loser,” he said. “But one thing
is sure — this issue has influenced other
events in the industry, such as Motorola’s
acquisition of Codex. The price Motorola
had to pay was definitely impacted by the
Milgo acquisition.”
By selling its Milgo shares, Adds has “the
proverbial bird — or cash — in the hand
worth two in the bush,” Edelson pointed
out.
“There are threats to the modem business
after all, including the ever-present threat of
AT&T as well as the onset of all-digital
networks, a threat which has been overem¬
phasized in the last few years but which is
nonetheless real,” he noted.
Edelson suggested Racal is buying the
technology, not the business of Milgo per
se, noting that if Racal were only buying the
business it “paid a pretty high price for it.”
One thing is sure. All the sparring boosted
the price of Milgo stock and clipped that of
Adds.
In the opening hours of the battle last
November, Milgo stock traded for under
$20. That price rose as high as $37.50 a
share at the height of the contest.
Adds stock, on the other hand, was
quoted at about $19 a share last November
but only $13.62 last week.
Cobol Enters World
Of Microcomputers
(Continued from Page 1)
versions of Cobol, he added.
Asked about weaknesses in the system, he
said any portable implementation of a lan¬
guage is likely to be redundant or inefficient
in potential processing speed. Compilation
speeds are poor and will have to be
improved, he acknowledged.
Discussing the language breakthrough
earlier this month, CAP chairman Alex
d’Agapeyeff said work on the project
started about a year ago. A small group of
specialists recognized that microprocessors
tended to have standard interfaces for “pe¬
ripherals.”
They saw that these interfaces could be
used to attach the micros to a larger system
such as the PDP-11 and surmised that the
software on the DEC mini “could be
manipulated into generating programs for
the microcomputers rather than for itself,”
he continued.
The cross-translator technique came first
and allowed the PDP-1 1 to be used to check
out programs running on any one of several
microcomputers with software aids “that
were previously rare, if not unknown,
among micros.” Microcobol followed,
allowing users to create programs.
As pleased as he was with CAP
Microsoft’s accomplishment, d’Agapeyeff
seemed even more concerned with where
the work was done: “We have a success
story ... it is a wholly English
invention ... it work[s] and we [are] ahead
of even those in California (the Mecca oT
microelectronics).”
Coming to the Colonies
The collection of software now carries the
name Microade and is available in the UK.
It will be ready for release in the North
American market within three months, at
which time the first user installations will be
in operation, the company said.
The Microade product line consists of
system software, system utilities and
“board option” software. The system-level
group includes a Microade nucleus,
Microcobol compiler and a debug journal
option. A programmable read-only mem¬
ory (Prom) programmer system will be
available in April.
The utility portion of the product line
consists of a micro console emulator, a host
console interchange and a CRT file inspec¬
tion routine.
The board option software for the Intel
and Motorola units provides the cross-
translator, resident microwave.-a cross-
linker, an interactive debugging system and
the micro-based portion of Microcobol.
The PDP-11 that Microsoft uses as its
host is a standard DEC unit running under
standard RT-1 1. The link to the microcom¬
puter board is by DEC’s DL-11 serial line
interface, which is normally connected to a
teletypewriter or CRT terminal.
CAP and CAP Microsoft can both be
reached at CAP House, 14-15 Great James
St., London WC1, England.
Page 6
COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
FCC Pegs Definition of 'DP’ to Activity of Terminal
(Continued from Page 1)
financial and econometric modeling and
scientific calculations.
• Word processing such as interactive in¬
formation retrieval systems, management
information systems, text editing, transla¬
tion and typesetting.
• Process control such as use of elec¬
tronic equipment to monitor and control
continuing processes like nuclear power
generating stations, electric power distribu¬
tion grids, automatic machine tools or fire
detection and control systems.
Wiley noted the FCC has also invited
comments on whether customer-premise
equipment should be considered a common
carrier offering and, if so, what regulations
should apply.
Additionally, the FCC asked for help in
pinpointing “regulatory shortcomings at¬
tributable to the Communications Act” and
in suggesting remedial amendments to the
law written in 1934.
“Obviously, however, the manner in
which the relationship between DP and
data communications regulation evolves is
not simply a matter of the FCC’s pre¬
rogative,” Wiley noted.
“Congressional action is always a
possibility, and the potential for such legis¬
lative involvement has been heightened by
two recent developments: the House Sub¬
committee on Communications’ announced
intent to engage in a comprehensive rewrite
of the Communications Act and the in¬
troduction of the Consumer Communica¬
tions Reform Act — the ‘Bell Bill,’ ” the
commissioner said.
The FCC has not yet been given any
detailed information on the contemplated
redraft of the 1934 Communications Act,
Wiley stated.
Bell Bill Opponent
The Bell Bill “is quite another matter,” he
added, noting that in following intensive
study of this legislation, the commission “is
a vigorous opponent of this bill.
“Indeed, I and the majority of my col¬
leagues feel that the legislation, if enacted,
would seriously retard or destroy national
telecommunications policies which have
maximized consumer choices and options
and which have provided an environment in
which competition — rather than monopo¬
listic discretion or regulatory fiat — pre¬
vails,” Wiley said.
The FCC opposed the AT&T-sponsored
legislation because it could virtually elimi¬
nate all past, present and future specialized
common carriers. In addition, the Bell Bill
“could impede full and fair terminal equip¬
ment competition by fragmenting regula¬
tory responsibility into the exclusive
jurisdiction of the 50 states,” Wiley said.
Finally, such a measure “could permit the
telephone industry to selectively employ in¬
cremental pricing with the certainty that
any noncompensatory rates for service so
priced could be covered by revenues from
monopoly ratepayers,” he stated.
In other words, the telephone company
could “under price its competitive services
with the guarantee that it could make up for
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any noncompensatory rates by using public
telephone subscriber rates to cover such
revenue deficiencies,” he explained.
The Bell Bill would cause the most
substantial harm to the users it is supposed
to protect — the residential telephone
subscriber, Wiley said.
While the telephone industry has been
“relatively free” from regulatory oversight
of the pricing policies it uses and its rela¬
tionship to its different services, the FCC
now requires that AT&T identify the costs
of each service and make each service pay
for itself.
The commission has adopted a methodol¬
ogy for allocating particular costs to partic¬
ular services and is discussing with AT&T
and other interested parties how the ap¬
proach might be applied to the actual tele¬
phone company plant, Wiley noted.
FCC: No Breakup of AT&T
(Continued from Page 1)
legislative and judicial branches.
The Justice Department is currently seek¬
ing the breakup of AT&T in an antitrust
case in preliminary stages at the U.S. dis¬
trict court here.
In addition, the House Subcommittee on
Communications has announced plans to
completely redraft the Communications
Act of 1934 — the law that created the FCC
and regulation of the telephone company as
a public utility.
The importance of the FCC decision rests
with the opportunity Bell operating com¬
panies will now have to buy the cheapest
equipment — be it from Western Electric or
its competitors, an FCC spokesman said.
AT&T executive vice-president Thomas
S. Nurnberger said his firm is “delighted”
by the FCC ruling. “Western Electric has
long well fulfilled its function of assuring us
a continuous supply of high-quality equip¬
ment at favorable prices,” he stated.
“While it has been the policy of the Bell
telephone companies to buy the best and
most economical equipment from whatever
source — Western Electric or outside
manufacturers — we will, of course, comply
with the commission’s order for a proposal
to formalize this procedure and to file
several plans and reports called for in the
order,” Nurnberger said.
The FCC has given AT&T 90 days in
which to make its recommendations in this
area.
In its decision, the FCC upheld its 1976
order permitting AT&T to raise its rate of
return on investment in telephone facilities
and equipment from 8.74% to 9.5%.
Following that decision last year, Bell
became the first corporation in U.S. history
to earn profits of more*than $1 billion in a
three-month period.
The FCC order will also permit AT&T to
continue to include charitable contributions
and institutional advertising in its costs of
business — the costs or rate base on which
telephone charges are based.
Out of the seven-member commission,
FCC Chairman Richard E. Wiley and
Commissioner Joseph R. Fogarty dissented
on these two points and Commissioner
Benjamin L. Hooks abstained.
Overall, the FCC upheld the conclusions
of administrative law judge David I.
Kraushaar who, in a report to the agency
last August, said severing Western Electric
from the rest of the Bell System would be
“most unwise and may even be cata¬
strophic.”
Package Buyers More Studious
(Continued from Page 1 )
Stand-alone system enhancements —
spoolers, utilities and report generators —
were mentioned frequently “just as they
were in a study two years ago,” but both
large and small firms “continue to cling to
the operating systems supplied with their
hardware,” Sherman said.
The growth in purchases of “bread and
butter” applications — payroll, accounts
payable/receivable and the like — “appears
to be steady but unspectacular,” he con¬
tinued. This was also true of communica-
tions-related packages, he added.
The software industry has yet to respond
to what Info- Dyne sees as a market demand
for more specialized industry-oriented
packages. Users indicated detailed use of
DP throughout their operations was a long¬
term goal, but did not list industry-specific
packages among their planned acquisitions
to the degree Sherman expected.
This happened, he surmised, because few
vendors have gone into that part of the
market and users are not even sure of what
is available from those firms that do sup¬
port such areas as manufacturing.
There is a low level of interest in the
market potential for energy /ecology ap¬
plications among vendors and an equally
weak interest in such packages by users.
Users and vendors interested in partici¬
pating in the study can reach Info-Dyne at
Suite 196, 4600 W. 77th St., Minneapolis,
Minn. 55435.
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eliminates internal probe points. Operation is unattended and
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For more information contact:
QUBTHMS, JNC.
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Minim,
February 28, 1977
I^COMPUTERWORLD
Page 7
Off an d Flying by 198 1
SBS Plans to Promote User-Premise Earth Stations
By Edith Holmes
Of the CW Staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The
Federal Communications Com¬
mission (FCC) recently gave Sat¬
ellite Business Systems (SBS) — a
joint venture by IBM, Comsat
General Corp. and Aetna
Casualty and Surety Co. — the
go-ahead to begin operations, and
SBS is off and flying.
Just where is this venture with its
satellites and “earth stations” go¬
ing? The members of the Com¬
puter & Communications In¬
dustry Association (CCIA) began
to get some idea of the new
organization’s plan for the next
five years during the trade group’s
Fourth Annual Caucus here last
week.
Formed at a time when com¬
munications developments are
lagging behind information proc¬
esssing, SBS hopes to be opera¬
tional by 1981, with two satellites
circling the globe along the equa¬
torial arch from a distance of
22,000 miles and with large cor¬
porations and substantial govern¬
ment agencies as its users, accord¬
ing to SBS President Philip Whit¬
taker.
SBS will offer “communications
services that are truly new and
useful” to specialized or con¬
solidated users as well, Whittaker
added.
The SBS networks will be large
and geographically dispersed, he
said. The company’s planners en¬
vision multiple communications
connection points and varied
communications requirements en¬
compassed by the familiar voice,
data and image needs of today.
Assuring his audience that SBS
will operate “at arm’s length”
from its owners, Whittaker noted
the earth stations required by the
satellite communications system
will incorporate the equipment of
a variety of manufacturers.
There are inherent advantages to
communicating via satellite, ac¬
cording to Ted Schurmans, SBSs’
manager of systems and applica¬
tions requirements.
Among them are point-to-
multipoint transmission of in¬
formation; a certain amount of
“distance insensitivity” cost-wise,
but not price-wise, a simplicity in
some of its aspects; and a geo¬
graphic uniformity in terms of
service and transmission quality,
he said.
Although today’s satellites com¬
municate in 4- to 6-gHz bands, the
capability exists to launch devices
which will send and receive in 12-
to 14-gHz bands, he noted.
Customer Earth Stations
The SBS system is planned to be
different from existing satellite
systems in that SBS will promote
customer-premise earth stations,
Schurmans said. Not only will the
company build smaller earth sta¬
tions all around the country on its
users’ premises, but it will
dedicate those stations to each of
-its users’ work, he stated.
Users will be able to send in¬
formation in voice, data or image
form and will receive network
capacity on demand through a
“demand assignment system,” he
said.
All information will be transmit¬
ted in digital form and at high
frequencies. There will be no in¬
terference from existing terrestrial
microwaves because the govern¬
ment has allocated the 12- to
14-gHz bandwidths for satellite
use, he explained.
The SBS system is meant to con¬
nect various establishments of
large corporations and is primar¬
ily switched within each user’s
network. There is security in that
users will be able to talk to their
own organizational parts, but not
to each other.
While conceptually simple, the
SBS system does involve a com¬
plex time division multiple-access
system, Schurmans noted.
decipher without complex earth
station equipment, he said.
A user might have anywhere
from 10 to 40 earth stations,
CW at CCIA Caucus
Information beamed to earth by
the satellite can be heard
anywhere in the U.S., but will be
difficult, if not impossible, to
depending on the size of the com¬
pany. His monitor locations
would be connected to the earth
stations via terrestrial links.
SBS will build these or permit
the user to construct these com¬
munications connections or allow
other carriers to do business in
this area, Schurmans said.
SBS plans to lease space on an
existing 4- to 6-gHz satellite
already aloft; to build two earth
stations on IBM premises at
Poughkeepsie and California; and
to begin to acquire hands-on ex¬
perience as early as this spring,
Whittaker said.
MVS:
how to stop it from
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Secrets like excessive turnaround,
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PLAN IV: MVS utilizes measure¬
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system (SMF, MF/1 or RMF). It adds
perspective to overall system operation,
telling what you need to know to assure
fully informed management. It tells you
concisely, regularly, readably, and
comprehensively — to support all levels of
decision making.
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without it. But with such major responsi¬
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Page 8
ICOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
tacit Experience/ Know-How
Internal Auditors Found Poor Buffer Against DP Crime
By Frank Vaughan
Of the CW Staff
MENLO PARK, Calif. — Most of the in¬
ternal auditors upon whom business,
government and the general public rely to
protect organizations against computer
fraud and error have neither the experience
nor the knowledge to do so, according to a
report released recently by Stanford
Research Institute (SRI).
The report also said that while techniques
for DP auditing and control have been de¬
veloped in some organizations, these have
not been widely communicated or extended
for general application to potential problem
situations.
Further, most of the auditing and control
procedures for DP systems that do exist
have failed to keep pace with the introduc¬
tion of new technology and new concepts in
DP system design, according to the report,
“Systems Auditability and Control.”
DP has grown in importance and com¬
plexity for a number of reasons, including
government and association requirements;
modifications and expansions of existing
systems; new accounting standards and
guidelines; increased reliance on informa¬
tion by management; and advancing DP
technology.
These forces, combined with concepts in
the organization of computer-based in¬
formation systems, have resulted in a trend
toward integration of related systems.
While the result is greater efficiency and a
reduced need for manual intervention at the
interfaces, the difficulty of auditing the inte¬
grated systems has increased substantially
and the exposure to loss has grown, the
report indicated.
Many of the traditional control and audit
techniques are outmoded by these forces
and by the use of newer concepts, the report
said.
Hazards Involved
The potential for loss associated with the
use of DP is increasing as procedures once
performed manually are automated. The
use of programs rather than human beings
to perform many of the checks ensuring the
accuracy and completeness of data has ex¬
posed information systems to the possibility
of loss from several sources, the report said.
Those sources noted by the report were er¬
rors or omissions during input, improper
controls within the system, inadequate
system design, fraud and embezzlement and
failure to comply with standards or pro¬
cedures.
Qcm
QUfinTITPTIUE
COmPUTER
mflnpGEmEnT
CPU
Paging
Overhead
Productivity
Systems
Performance
Interrogator (SPI)
THE FOLLOWING ONLINE SPI
FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE
TO OPERATOR
AND TSO CONSOLES:
ANA — Analyzes outstanding I/O operations
CHA — Displays channel utilization
CON — Displays control unit utilization and
shared DASD control unit interference
DEV — Displays productive, degradation,
WAIT, RPS delay and shared DASD
interference for every device
DIF* — Displays current rather than average
performance information with the
ability to specify thresholds for excep¬
tion reporting
ENQ — Displays all system enqueues by en¬
queue type, major or minor name,
or by job
FIND* — Searches memory and modules for
any specified sequence of data
JOB — Displays CPU and I/O time for each
job and its current step
MPX — Displays the idle, total and over¬
lapped I/O timings for each block
multiplexor channel
MVS* — Displays event rates for basic MVS
related functions
DUQUESnE
svsTEms inc
— Displays CPU, I/O and disk arm thrash¬
ing times for all system tasks, started
tasks and address spaces and displays
the system Idle and I/O wait times
— Displays internal QCM statistics
— Replace core (corezap)
— Displays summary systems perfor¬
mance information •
— Displays the status of QCM and SMF
exit modules
— Displays CPU and I/O times for cur¬
rent steps
— Displays job and step swap out time
— Displays system address spaces and
their CPU and I/O timings
— Displays CPU and I/O timings for
every TSO user
— Verifies core locations
— Displays productive, degradation,
WAIT, RPS delay, and shared DASD
interference by volume
*MVS Only
SPI IS THE ELITE
PRODUCT IN ONLINE
PERFORMANCE
MEASUREMENT
PCE
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Despite a growing potential for loss, most
top executives interviewed by SRI seemed
confident that actual losses are minimal.
Yet while some of them maintained that
they had not experienced DP-related losses,
they also admitted they had no formal pro¬
cedures to identify and report incidents of
this sort, the report said.
No Reporting Methods
No organization contacted during the
study felt it had a satisfactory method of
measuring overall loss or loss potential,
researchers found.
Although DP systems and internal audit
techniques have been evolving, there has
been little coordination between the two
disciplines, according to SRI.
From the standpoint of those managing
the DP facility, the -internal auditor’s man¬
date and scope of activity is not clear, the
report noted. The internal auditors are
faced with investigating environments in
which most of them have only limited ex¬
perience, knowledge and tools.'
Compounding these conditions, the
report said, is the fact that top management
in many organizations has not been suffi¬
ciently informed to give adequate attention
to the potential repercussions of inadequate
DP audit and control procedures.
The study identified a Series of manage¬
ment actions designed to assure that
computer-based information systems are
developed with adequate controls, are
auditable and operate in a reliable manner.
Areas of primary and supporting respon¬
sibility for executive management, audit
management and DP management were
suggested.
Those areas of primary interest to ex¬
ecutive management included:
• Ensuring that all members of manage¬
ment realize the importance of internal
auditing in DP.
• Issuing a clearly defined mandate that
specifies audit responsibility as it applies to
all phases of DP.
• Defining the working relationship be¬
tween users, auditors and the DP depart¬
ment for the development and maintenance
of computer sysems and encouraging DP
and the internal audit unit to work together
to improve audit and control capabilities.
• Fostering the development of new DP
control techniques and internal audit ap¬
proaches along with requiring the develop¬
ment of control guidelines.
The report also noted that audit manage¬
ment should take responsibility for ensur¬
ing that periodic, postinstallation verifica¬
tion takes place along with reviews of con¬
trols, tests to verify the controls and tests to -
verify the data.
Audit management should also upgrade
the quality and quantity of DP auditors and
add DP personnel to the auditing staff for
specialized DP assistance and ensure that
training programs are developed to provide
the needed skills to audit DP and to reflect
the internal audit discipline.
DP management should ensure adequate
preinstallation testing of information
systems, the report concluded.
Wade Named Editor
Of IEEE Proceedings
NEW YORK — Glen Wade, professor of
electrical engineering at the University of
California in Santa Barbara, has been ap¬
pointed editor of the Proceedings of the
IEEE, the general-interest research journal
of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE).
Wade succceeds Dr. Robert W. Lucky of
Bell Telephone Laboratories.
The Proceedings , a monthly journal of
engineering research publishes material on
all aspects of electrical science and technol¬
ogy-
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February 28, 1 977
nCOMPUTERWORLD
Page 1 1
litigation Analyst Says
Revising Antitrust Lows Could Prevent Many Lawsuits
By Molly Upton
Of the CW Staff
NEW YORK — The antitrust laws are
nebulous and should be amended — not so
plaintiffs can win antitrust suits, but so
litigation can be minimized, according to
Calvert D. Crary, litigation analyst for
Bache Halsey Stuart, a brokerage firm here.
If the laws were more explicit, people
would know what they wdre, could obey
them and thus would avoid lawsuits, Crary
added.
The California Computer Products, Inc.
antitrust suit against IBM is a summary
version of the government’s case against
IBM, he said.
Judge Ray McNichols’ dismissal of the
case “is a litigated determination that the
government’s case doesn’t prove a violation
of the antitrust laws,” he said.
Should the law be changed so that large
firms with significant market shares can be
prosecuted?
“It’s not a question of whether the law
needs to be changed so IBM can be found
to be a violator, but rather a question of
whether IBM should be hung by its thumbs
in the first place,” Crary said.
Others Favor Changes
Others also believe changes should be
made in the antitrust laws, but for different
reasons.
A.G.W. (Jack) Biddle, executive director
of the Computer and Communications In¬
dustry Association (CCIA) observed “there
seems to be a growing sentiment in Con¬
gress to reexamine industrial concentration.
“The inability to get the Calcomp vs. IBM
case before a jury for a decision is an indica¬
tion” of the problem regarding antitrust
legislation, he said.
The CCIA will be actively working
toward the modernization of the antitrust
laws, Biddle continued. These laws are
vague and were adopted to cope with the
relatively simple technologies, such as
tobacco and railroad, when companies were
single-product, single-market operations,
he said.
“These laws are not capable of dealing, as
Judge A. Sherman Christensen [who pre¬
sided over the Telex Corp. vs. IBM case]
commented, in an industry where predatory
practices can be hidden under the guise of
technology or when technology itself
transcends applications, products and
markets in a fashion that makes the lines
between them very vague; and yet
monopoly power exists nevertheless,”
Biddle said.
There are essentially four antitrust laws,
according to Your Computer and the Law
Elizabeth Ray’sOffice
Gets New Assignment
As DP Training Area
WASHINGTON, D.C. — It used to be
Elizabeth Ray’s room, the place she
returned to when Wayne Hays didn’t
requite her services.
Today Room 1506 A of the Longworth
House Office Building is filled with people
who can type, answer the phone — and
learn how to best use congressional com¬
puter systems.
The House Administration Committe ,
which Hays chaired until he quit Congress,
has turned the space into a classroom to
train congressional aides in the art of using
the terminals, data bases and networks pro¬
vided by House Information Systems.
Headed by Frank Ryan, director of
House Information Systems, the systems
unit teaches aides from committees, House
members’ staffs and administrative officers
how to use programs for text processing,
member information, the status of bills and
member office support, a spokesman for
the operation said.
prepared by Robert P. Bigelow and Susan
H. Nycum.
Three laws focus on restraint of trade,
monopolization or intent of monopolize
and mergers or acquisitions that may
substantially lessen competition or serve to
create a monopoly.
The fourth, the Federal Trade Com¬
mission Act, declared unlawful “unfair
methods of competition in commerce and
unfair or deceptive acts or practices in com¬
merce.”
Section 1 of the Sherman Act, enacted in
1890, prohibits “every contract, com¬
bination ... or conspiracy in restraint of
trade or commerce among the several states
or with foreign nations.”
Section 2 provides that “every person who
shall monopolize, or attempt to monopo¬
lize, or combine or conspire ... to monop¬
olize any part of the trade or commerce
among.the several states or with foreign na¬
tions” is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Section 7 of the Clayton Act, enacted in
1914 and amended in 1950, prohibits a
merger or acquisition whose effect “in any
line of commerce in any section of the
country . . . may be substantially to lessen
competition or to tend to create a
monopoly.”
Section 2 of the Clayton Act, as amended
by the Robinson Patman Act, prohibits un¬
fair price discrimination in the sale of
goods.
In Washington, little has occurred this
year on the antitrust front.
Members of the Senate Subcommittee on
Antitrust and Monopoly have not been ap¬
pointed, although Sen. Edward Kennedy is
widely acknowledged to have secured the
chairmanship to replace Sen. Philip Hart
(D-Mich.) who retired and then died last
year.
Ten members of the House Subcommittee
on Monopolies and Commercial Law have
been appointed, with Rep. Peter Rodino
(D-N.J.) continuing as chairman.
The group’s first charge will be to con¬
sider appointing more judges and then it
may look at exemptions and oversights of
the antitrust laws, a spokesman said.
During 1976, the Antitrust Improvements
Act was passed, giving the Justice
Department’s Antitrust Division a tool to
enable it to construct a better researched
and formulated case, according to Biddle.
The law provides for the Antitrust
Division to issue civil investigatory
demands to third parties before bringing ac¬
tion, he explained.
How to get your own
free ticket to
COMPUTER L
Circle the job title that most nearly
describes your responsibilities:
President, Executive Vice President, Vice
President-Operations, Director of Data
Processing, Data Processing Manager, DP
Operations Director, Administrative Manager,
Senior Systems Analyst, Senior Programmer,
Engineering Management, Engineering Staff,
Financial Officers, Operating Department Heads.
2 ■ Circle the city and dates most convenient to you: .
San Francisco Civic Auditorium — March 29-31
Los Angeles Convention Center — April 5-7
Cleveland Convention Center — April 19-21
Minneapolis/St. Paul, St. Paul Civic Center
—April 26-28
Chicago, McCormick Place — May 3-5 •
New York Coliseum — May 10-12-
Philadelphia Convention Center— May 24-26
Washington, DC, Sheraton Park Hotel
— May 31- June 2
Boston, Northeast Trade Center (Rte 128, exit 39)
— June 7-9
3 * Circle those dates on your business calendar.
Then show up and register! As a qualified profes¬
sional, that's all you need to do to take part in the
varied exhibits, demonstrations and exhibitor
seminars.
SEE: Live Demonstrations and Displays of new com¬
puter products and services, including Communi¬
cations Terminals, Software, Minicomputers, Data
Input Equipment, Computer Output Equipment,
Supplies, Magnetic Media, Modems, DP Educa¬
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Productivity (Thursday)
NOTE: Computer Designer Forums* will also be
available in San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Chicago, New York and Boston. Topics
include: Evaluating and Using Microproces¬
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additional days are $35. Advance registration is recom¬
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Come to the Computer Show that’s coming to you—
COMPUTER EXPO 77— Organized by
COMPUTER
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797 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02160
Page 12
ICOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
( WANG ):
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Wang will display its complete line of small business computers and
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Wang product line including the new ultra fast 2200VP processor
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Organized by:
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The national computer exposition that's coming to you.
797 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02160
(617) 965-5800.
San Francisco • Los Angeles • Cleveland • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Chicago • New York • Philadelpia • Washington. D.C. • Boston. Starts March 29th.
Peripherals Mart Entry Barred
By Lack of IBM Data: Memorex
By Catherine Amst
Of the CW Staff
NEW YORK — IBM created a barrier to
entry into the plug-compatible peripheral
market by refusing to release detailed in¬
formation on its disk drives, according to
Thomas Gardner, an engineer with
Memorex Corp.
Testifying at the U.S. vs. IBM antitrust
trial here, Gardner explained that IBM’s
refusal to provide such engineering in¬
formation forced Memorex into an ex¬
pensive and sometimes inaccurate process
of “reverse engineering” to develop plug-
compatible peripheral products.
If Memorex had all the product informa¬
tion it needed, the firm could have devel¬
oped a compatible product in three months,
he said.
But, Memorex’s announcement of a plug-
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compatible product always came about 14
months after IBM’s announcement of the
original product.
IBM attorney Thomas D. Barr conceded
IBM did not release detailed product in¬
formation, but added the retort that has
been part of IBM’s defense in ths case: Why
should they?
“There is nothing in the world that I
wpuld more happily concede than that. We
don’t make that kind of information
available to people. We never have. I don’t
think we ever will. I don’t think anybody
ever has,” Barr said.
While the government attorneys agreed
IBM had no obligation to volunteer such
information, the government’s contention
is that given the information IBM provided,
“achieving compatibility was very, very dif¬
ficult” and this constituted a “huge barrier”
to entry into the plug-compatible periph¬
erals market.
“Memorex could not lawfully have this
information and it was only through reverse
engineering and redesign that it was
possible [to design a compatible product],”
according to Lewis Bernstein, counsel for
the plaintiff.
Difficulties Encountered
Gardner’s testimony, which consumed 1 1
trial days, centered on the difficulties
Memorex encountered while trying to de¬
velop IBM plug-compatible disk drives.
Memorex’s problems began when- IBM
announced the 2314 Series B disk drive in
July 1969. Memorex already had a product,
the 630, that was compatible with IBM’s
earlier 231 1 disk drive.
There were several electromechanical dif¬
ferences between the 2311 and 2314, but no
difference in the architecture of the two
products or the way information was trans¬
ferred, Gardner said.
With the 2311 and 2314 series A, the
variable frequency oscillator (VFO), which
removes noise from data being transmitted,
was placed in the control unit for the drive.
With the 2314B and 2319, however, IBM
moved the VFO from the control unit to the
drive itself.
This made “no sense from an engineering
point of view” because it is only used when
a device is transferring data, thus it made
more sense to share the VFO within the
storage control unit, Gardner said.
Moving it actually “decreased the reliabil¬
ity” of the disk drive, Gardner claimed.
There was however, a difference in price.
IBM rented the 2314A with three drives for
$1450 per month; the 2314B with three
drives was $1000 per month.
Memorex’s 3660 disk subsystem was plug-
compatible with the 2314A, but the firm
never offered a product compatible with the
2314B or 2319, according to Gardner.
It took Memorex a year to develop the
3660, and the company couldn’t offer a
product plug-compatible with the 2314B or
2319 any cheaper than IBM’s “without giv¬
ing it away,” Gardner sid.
By June 1970, IBM had also announced
the 3330 disk drive, and Memorex decided
to devote its resources to developipg the
3670 — Memorex’s version of that drive.
Memorex’s 3670 development program
began in December 1970, six months after
the 3330 announcement. IBM shipped its
first 3330 in August 1971, Memorex’s first
3670 was shipped in October 1972.
The lag time between IBM’s announce¬
ment and the start of Memorex’s work on
a response was resulted from the lack of in¬
formation from IBM on the product,
Gardner said. “A great deal of information
was never made available,” so that product
was also “reverse engineered.”
During cross-examination, IBM tried to
prove reverse engineering was only a form
of “copying.” Gardner, who helped de¬
velop the 3670 was incensed by that charac¬
terization, which he felt demeaned the work
of “a lot of dedicated people.”
February 28, 1977
ICOMPUTERWORLD
Page 13
f.
System Feeds Decision-Making Data to Unesco Nations
By a CW Staff Writer
PARIS — A mainframe at the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cul¬
tural Organization’s (Unesco) headquar¬
ters here is helping that society achieve its
goal of better communications between
peoples, according to an article in Com¬
puter Weekly International.
Available to various delegates via the
Franco-German Symphonie satellite and
remote terminals, the IBM 370/145 is
giving Unesco members quick access to
the data needed to make decisions, the
article reported.
A Texas Instruments Silent 700 along
with other terminals allows delegates at
Unesco conferences such as the annual
meeting in Nairobi to ask “what-if” types
of questions, such as “What would hap¬
pen if we spent more money on activity
X?”
The system accommodates varying con¬
ditions such as inflation rates and cur--
rency exchange rates, Computer Weekly
said.
Patients Choose CRT Over M.D.
For VA Psychiatric Evaluations
By Ann Dooley
Of the CW Staff
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - A majority
of patients at the Veterans Administra¬
tion (VA) hospital here would rather be
interviewed by a computer than a doctor,
according to a survey on the hospital’s
Psychiatric Assessment Unit (PAU) pro¬
gram.
The program was designed to let psychi¬
atric patients give personal information
privately, including basic demographic
data, chief complaint and history of men¬
tal illness, according to Dr. Ronald Gian-
netti, a project researcher and psychiatric
instructor at the University of Utah.
Designed to aid clinical decision-making,
the program has proved a faster and more
efficient method of getting psychiatric
patients into treatment, Giannetti said.
The workload has dropped dramatically
and the cost for each patient evaluation
has been cut in half, he added.
The program has also led to increased
patient satisfaction; 68% of the patients
surveyed indicated they liked the com¬
puter testing and only 12% said they
disliked it, Giannetti noted:
Although 21% of the patients found
computer testing “too impersonal,” 78%
did not find this to be true, he said.
The survey also found 89% favored
computerized testing, 57% liked it better
than clinical interviews, 24% favored the
chnical interviews and 17% had no pre¬
ference.
Nearly half the patients said they tend¬
ed to be “more truthful” with the com¬
puter and a comparable number said they
were “as truthful.”
Rates Severity of Problem
Based on a patient’s answers to test
questions displayed on a CRT, the PAU
system measures depression level and sui¬
cide risk, social history and a broad range
of personality traits; it also screens intelli¬
gence level and the amount of any brain
damage, Giannetti said.
“With the computer, the patient’s con¬
dition can be analyzed objectively within
minutes. It also gives flexibility so we can
gather data daily of the patient’s treat¬
ment process, do future followups and
receive valuable feedback,” he added.
That data is processed and the specific
problem severity is rated, Giannetti said.
The patient’s test scores are interpreted
and the results are output in English to a
medical aid. Patients are additionally in¬
terviewed by a staff member who evalu¬
ates the test results and makes all treat¬
ment decisions.
The system consists of a Control Data
Corp. 3200 system with 131,000-char¬
acter memory and 13 on-line terminals. It
has direct access storage for patient data
on four disk units with a total storage
capacity of 32.8M characters.
Each patient is trained to use the termi¬
nals,' which are simple to operate, easy to
read and not overly distracting to the
patient, Giannetti said.
The system was designed to collect stan¬
dardized intake data on an on-line sys¬
tem, provide real-time translation of the
.
data as an aid in clinical decision making
and to help improve administrative deci¬
sion making, he said.
Unesco is having more conferences away
from its Paris headquarters and the com¬
munications problems are considerable,
according to the European computer
weekly.
The system at Unesco includes a 512K
CPU with eight IBM 3340 disk drives, five
tape drives, one card reader and a 1403
printer. Local terminals are IBM 3270s
while a Memorex 1270 controls the re¬
mote units, the article said. Three other
terminals are used for graphics.
The system uses the Conversational
Monitor System running under VM/370
as well as user-written software, according
to Marios Raissis, Unesco informatics
head. Soon Unesco will be upgrading to a
370/148 which it hopes will rid the orga¬
nization of the high processing and paging
overheads associated with the 145, the
article stated.
Unesco is searching for a terminal that
can easily reproduce Cyrillic, Roman or
Arabic script to make data entry easier
for its multinational members, Raissis
said. Reproducing different sets of 128 or
256 characters on the same screen is a
difficult problem, he noted.
The mainframe is also used by trans¬
lators employed by Unesco. Beginning
with a French or English term, the system
seeks out contextual uses of the term to
give the equivalents in other languages.
An inquiry system set up around a data
base system developed in-house allows
exchange rates for member nations’ cur¬
rencies to be retrieved. The data base
system, called File Integration and Re¬
trieval System through Terminals, took
three months to write and takes up 8K of
storage, according to the report.
The cost of the communications link
has been relatively low because use of the
Symphonie satellite was donated by the
participating countries, the article noted.
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V
Page 14
I COMPUTERWORLD
: " ■ 7 - ^
February 28, 1977
I*!*'
Oume
^ the printed word
Hayward, California
Hit Antitrust Snags
Past Reservation System Failed
NEW YORK — The effort being un¬
dertaken by three travel industry organiza¬
tions to link travel agents to airlines (see
story on Page 15) is not the first time such
a ticket reservation system has been pro¬
posed.
In 1968, the Air Traffic Conference of the
Air Traffic Association, an organization
representing U.S. and Canadian carriers,
gave Atar Computer Systems, Inc. exclusive
rights to develop such a system over similar
proposals by Control Data Corp. and
Reuben H. Donnelly.
Although approval and subsequent im¬
plementation were expected for that system
in mid-1968 [CW, July 31, 1968], it ran into
problems with the U.S. Department of
Justice and the Civil Aeronautics Board
(CAB) the following year.
The Justice Department said the agree¬
ment between Atar and 1 1 major domestic
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decisions with timely data from wherever
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LESS WEIGHT.
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it’s quiet enough to use anywhere. In the of¬
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With a TI microprocessor at the heart of
the unit, the Model 745 delivers reliable per¬
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And at only $1995*, the Model 745 is
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For businessmen in real estate, insurance,
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the Model 745 delivers the right information
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INCORPORATED 6-1-CW
Mail to: P.O. Box 1444 , M/S 784, Houston. Texas 77001
“Copyright Thxas Instruments Incorporated 1977
See Texas Instruments products at Interface 77 and Computer Caravan.
Texas Instruments
airlines was, in effect, a collective boycott of
other reservations systems and therefore
violated the Sherman Antitrust Act [Nov.
15, 1969],
The CAB would not approve the system
proposal because it also had reservations
about the possible antitrust violations, ac¬
cording to a CAB spokesman in Washing¬
ton, D.C.
In addition, eight other organizations —
including Telemax, Univac and the Ameri¬
can Express Co. — had filed protests with
the CAB. These organizations said the Atar
system would preclude installing systems
they were developing or would develop in
the future.
In 1970, after filing at least one other pro¬
posal with the CAB, the Atar system still
had not gotten off the ground, although
there were continuing requests for such a
multicarrier travel agent reservation system
[April 15, 1970],
When Atar was in the planning stages,
there were about 7,000 domestic travel
agents with an estimated business volume
of $4 billion for air and other travel.
March 23, New York — Third Annual
Systems Update, sponsored by the Associa¬
tion for Systems Management. Contact:
Association for Systems Management, One
Park Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016.
March 23-25, Silver Spring, Md. —
Fourth Annual Symposium on Computer
Architecture, sponsored by ACM SigArch
and IEEE Computer Society. Contact:
James H. Caldwell, Director Advance Plan¬
ning, Ensco, Inc., 8001 Forbes Place,
Springfield, Va. 22151.
March 25, Commerce, Texas — 1977
Computer Users Conference. Contact:
Donna Hutcheson, Computer Users Con¬
ference Coordinator, East Texas State Uni¬
versity, Department of Computer Science,
Commerce, Texas 75428.
March 23-25, New York City — Data
Processing Technology: 1977-1981
Conference, sponsored by American In¬
stitute of Industrial Engineers (AIIE). Con¬
tact: Dept. PR, AIIE Seminars, P.O. Box
3727, Santa Monica, Calif. 90403.
March 28-30, Atlanta — Data Com¬
munications Interface 'll, co-sponsored by
Datamation Magazine. Contact: Interface
’77, 160 Speen St., Framingham, Mass.
01701.
April 6-8, Oklahoma City — ■'
Microcomputer ’77 Conference and
Exposition, sponsored by the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
(IEEE). Contact: John M. McLaughlin, In¬
dustrial Exhibits Chairman, IEEE, 4300
N.W. 26th St., Oklahoma City, Okla.
73107.
April 13-15, Vancouver, B.C. — Update
77, sponsored by the Data Processing
Management Association of Canada’s na¬
tional conference. Contact: Update 77, c/o
826 Homer St., Vancouver B.C. Canada
V6B2W5.
April 17-21, Orlando, Fla. — Americas
Univac Users Association (AUUA) Spring
Conference. Contact AUUA, P.O. Box 309,
Pennlyn, Pa. 19422.
April 18-21, Lafayette, Ind. —
International Purdue Workshop on In¬
dustrial Computer Systems. Contact: Dr.
T.J. Williams, 102 Michael Golden, Purdue
University, West Lafayette, Ind. 47907.
April 18-20, Washington, D.C. —
Management Conference, sponsored by
Association of Data Processing Service
Organizations, Inc. (Adapso). Contact:
Adapso, 210 Summit Ave., Montvale, N.J.
07645.
April 19-21, New York — Electro/77.
Contact: William C. Weber Jr., General
Manager, Electro/77, 999 N. Sepulveda
Blvd., El Segundo, Calif. 90245.
February 28, 1977
HSCOMPUTERWORLD
Page 15
Prototype System Set to Link
Travel Agents With 12 Airlines
By John P. Hebert
Of the CW Staff
NEW YORK — Even though travel
agents write 53% of the domestic air carrier
passenger tickets, some of them must wait
10 days to verify the tickets because of inef¬
ficient communications with the airlines.
In an attempt to solve this problem for the
country’s 14,000 domestic travel agents, the
American Society of Travel Agents (Asta),
the American Express Co. and the 12 major
domestic, air carriers have been working
since last May on a system that would allow
travel agents to access each airline’s
reservation system from their own offices.
An automation pilot project committee
comprised of one member from each of
these 14 organizations has envisioned a
terminal-based system that would be capa¬
ble of about 20 essential functions, accord¬
ing to Ray Smith, vice-president of Asta
and head of the pilot project committee.
The list of required functions includes the
display of flight schedules and fares; issue
of tickets; sale of direct flight segments; ad¬
dition or deletion of travel segments; and
modification of passenger name records, he
said.
In addition to those system requirements,
the committee said the ultimate system
should not upset the technical and/or polit¬
ical relationships between airlines and the
final system should be cost-justified, afford¬
ing all travel agents the possibility to utilize
such a system.
The pilot project committee was funded
with $350,000 ($25,000 from each partici¬
pating organization) to scout and evalulate
intelligent switching devices and computer
terminal systems that would allow the
travel agents to communicate with the in¬
compatible airline data bases. Smith said.
CAB Approval
The committee has already secured the
approval of the Civil Aeronautics Board
(CAB) and has found three vendors for
pilot installations here, in the Midwest and
the West, Smith said.
Early next month, three travel agencies
here will begin testing the first prototype of
a multicarrier, computer-based airline
reservation system that would meet those
requirements.
But, while.the 12 airlines have recognized
the importance of the agent industry, there
may be problems ahead for the ultimate im¬
plementation of any multicarrier reserva¬
tion system. Smith indicated.
The airlines — and the pressure of com¬
petition — have been and are still encourag¬
ing travel agencies to install terminals com¬
patible with only one reservation systems.
The agencies have been doing just that —
“at a fast clip,” he said.
But Smith is optimistic that a standard
language system with all the desired
capabilities can be found and that the
airlines will cooperate and install the neces¬
sary switching equipment and program¬
mable read-only memory boards for com¬
munications protocol conversion from their
own data bases.
He is also confident multiaccess switching
systems will be available cheaply enough
for 200 to 300 travel agencies to install them
in the next two years.
The number of installations should
double during 1979 and, because competi¬
tion will increase as a result of benefits from
the systems, most travel agencies will have
them within a 10-year period, Smith pre¬
dicted.
The installation and evaluation of the
pilot systems will not be too difficult, Smith
said, “but the nervous part comes when we
try to design the ultimate sytsem’s specifica¬
tions,” he admitted.
The three sites here chosen for the initial
pilot project on the East Coast are Ameri¬
can Express, with an annual ticket produc¬
tion of 16,500; Koerner-Liberman, Roland
Travel, with 15,000 annual tickets; and the
13,500-ticket volume 500 Pisa Brothers,
Inc.
Based on the number of sales personnel,
the revenue generated and tickets booked,
the pilot project committee has targeted the
three organizations for the receipt of 20 or
more terminals.
This initial pilot will test an Incoterm
Corp. intelligent terminal system. The
systems will be linked from each of the
three agencies to 10 of the 12 participating
airlines.
The other two, according to Smith, have
indicated a desire to be included in the pilot
studies scheduled for the Midwest and
West.
All three pilots will be completed by June
1, Smith said, adding Tymshare, Inc. and
Honeywell, Inc. have been chosen for the
other two pilot operations.
Qume,
^ the printed word
Hayward, California
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Page 16
COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
Editorial
Taxing the System
More than one year ago, the Congress delegated
to the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) the
responsibility to study and review the Internal
Revenue Service’s (IRS) proposal for a new Tax
Administration System (TAS) [CW, Feb. 21].
To date, no formal report has been published on
the proposal.
Unless OTA formally publishes its findings, the
American people could be left holding the bag on
a very expensive, all-too-competent system which
will tax their faith in government and possibly in¬
vade their private lives.
It is painfully obvious that the complete redistri¬
bution of tax processing and accessing functions
to the regional and local levels, combined with the
size and inherent complexity of the proposed $750
million to $1 billion system for the annual surveil¬
lance of each taxpayer’s financial status, is an un¬
dertaking which demands proper planning and
oversight at every step of its conception and im¬
plementation.
At the outset, Congress proceeded with good in¬
tentions and proper procedure by handing the IRS
proposal to the OTA. OTA receives input from
consulting experts for these proposals — in this
case, from experts in the field of computer
science, constitutional rights, civil liberties, sociol¬
ogy and taxation.
Although OTA does not have the power, by itself,
to force the IRS to submit another more detailed
description of the TAS proposal, it does have the
power and moral obligation to formally publish the
findings of its review for Washington lawmakers
and the public.
Presently, all that OTA and the Congress have to
show for more than a year of work is an informal
draft report. A formal report has not been issued,
according to sources in Washington, because the
TAS is too controversial and dangerous for OTA
to make a stand.
But it is exactly for that reason that the OTA
should not withhold the results of its review, which
calls for the IRS to come forth with a more detailed
proposal.
The OTA and Congress have a moral, ethical and
financial responsibility to other government
organizations which do not have the expert advice
or the time to sufficiently review such an advanced
and complex system whose records will be ac¬
cessed with the touch of a few buttons.
They have the same responsibility to the public.
The politics involved with saving face and escap¬
ing the IRS’ anger by not calling for a more com¬
plete description is a poor excuse for not uphold¬
ing the rights of individuals set forth in the Con¬
stitution.
A formal report of OTA findings must be issued
and subsequent hearings must be held before we
find ourselves in four years reeling from the TAS
side effects and wondering why it wasn’t properly
examined back in 1977, when the system was pro¬
posed.
'The Computer Says 2% Agree With Your Position, 3% Disagree and 95% Can't Believe
You Finally Took a Position. '
Letters to the Editor
GSA Called Next Worst Offender
Of Sex Bias and Discrimination
The “Computer Security in Federal Programs”
study found that only the Office of Management and
Budget, in coordination with the General Services
Administration (GSA), can provide effective leader¬
ship in the area of computer security [“Senate Study
Hits Civilian Agencies for Lax DP Security,” CW,
Feb. 7]. 1 adamantly disagree with the findings of this
study.
For eight years I have worked with five different
federal agencies as a professional DPer. In my opin-
Data Past
Five Years Ago
March 1, 1972
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Board
of Equalization adopted a state sales tax on software,
although it put off until at least March 1973 a
decision to include the value of software in personal
property taxation.
The board concluded months of public hearings on
the two taxes [CW, Feb. 9] and after evaluating the
testimony of users and industry representatives,
passed the sales levy.
PALO ALTO, Calif. — An interface from Hewlett-
Packard Co. allowed its programmable calculators to
be used for applications traditionally performed by
minicomputers.
The interface connected the HP 9800 series pro¬
grammable calculators to the company’s
coupler/controllers to control instrument systems for
data acquisition, process control and automatic test¬
ing.
Eight Years Ago
March 5, 1969
DETROIT, Mich. — Burroughs Corp. started a
test market for the separate pricing of software, ap¬
parently to obtain experience in the problems in¬
volved. The test market used a system called the
L2000, a desk-size billing computer.
Ray W. MacDonald, president of Burroughs,
associated the L2000 with the previously announced
TC500. Both used a disk memory which stored
microinstructions called “firmware.” The firmware
provided internal control of the computations, print
formatting, printer positioning, forms movement and
console and peripheral data input and output.
PHILADELPHIA — Univac upgraded its 9200
and 9300 systems by introducing Mark II models of
each for delivery starting in six months.
ion, the GSA is the second worst offender of sex bias
and sex discrimination, particularly toward pro¬
fessional DP women.
Furthermore, the GSA’s Office of Data Systems is
the second worst DP division of any of the five
government agencies; the Social Security Ad¬
ministration Baltimore office was the worst. The DP
management at the GSA is incompetent, unqualified
and nonprofessional.
It has severely misused the Federal Privacy Act of
1974 and has a record of supervisory unethical judg¬
ment and agency privacy abuses. I am amazed Con¬
gress has failed to investigate this agency.
Barbara J. Deeds
Fairfax, Va.
Free Booklet Confirms Old Adage
The article on Auerbach Publishers, Inc.’s free
booklet, “54 Ways to Reduce DP Costs,” was very
strange indeed [“New Equipment Not Only Path to
Savings,” CW, Feb. 14].
Many of the points involved programming changes
to existing programs in order to eliminate preprinted
forms, changing the format of preprinted forms,
allowing multiple input records on one card or con¬
verting 96-column Cards.
These programming changes would, of course, in¬
volve extensive testing and updating of documenta¬
tion. Thus one would be using the two highest cost
items in most DP budgets — labor and computer
time — to save on two of the lowest cost items —
forms and cards.
The booklet further recommended the storing of
used paper in order to use the reverse side for com¬
piles and internal DP use. This would waste more
dollars in the time and effort involved to store the
paper and printer paper changes than could ever be
saved.
This free report from Auerbach confirms the old
adage: “You get what you pay for.”
Jim Buren
Houston, Texas
Association Impunes Impartiality
I object to the instance of gross bias which ap¬
peared in the headline “Calcomp Judge Silences IBM
on Trade Secrets Issues” [CW, Jan. 31]. It would
seem that the juxtaposition of the words “Calcomp”
and “judge” creates some vague association between
a federal judge and California Computer Products,
Inc.
If Computerworld felt this “Calcomp Judge” was in
the pocket of Calcomp or on its payroll, or any other
such ridiculous notion, then CW should come
forward with facts to support what I consider to be
a slanderous label for a federal judge.
Robert Walsh
San Francisco, Calif.
The phrase was meant to identify the scene of the trial,
nothing more. Ed.
February 28, 1977
Page 17
ICOMPUTERWORLD
Instead of Hardware, Software
Home Hobbyist Requires 'Houseware/ 'Spouseware’
By Jack Stone
Special to Computerworld
“And now, ladies and gentlemen, the in¬
dustry presents Personal Computing! This
new technology is ready for the American
home, available to reduce the drudgery of
the housewife’s toil, manage the family
finances and allow the human occupants to
spend more time in pursuit of happiness.”
This is what we may read in a few years
as the computer entrepreneurs move their
products into the mass market. To see how
people in this market feel about the pros¬
pect of computer technology entering the
home, 1 talked to Capt. J. Donald Griffin
(Ret.), U.S. Navy.
Griffin is a businessman, patent attorney
and the last remaining bon vivant ex¬
traordinaire. He spends much of his free
time contemplating his next step up the lad¬
der toward a total electronic household.
The most unusual thing about this in¬
dividual is that he has accomplished so
much in life without a formal education —
he is a graduate of Yale.
The interview took place in Griffin’s
home:
Q. Captain, I don't recall seeing so much
hardware in one location since I visited a
Sage site nearly 15 years ago.
A. And you haven’t seen the attic or base¬
ment yet.
Q. Aren’t you afraid of spreading yourself
a bit thin?
A. No. I watch it carefully. You see, I
have an understanding wife, Roberta. She
and I have agreed to hold my hobby ac¬
tivities to a modest level . . . after all, we
have the children to think of.
I limit my interests to electronics, air¬
planes, boats, tropical fish, furniture
restoration, antique cars, scuba diving, war
games and politics. Oh yes, 1 also read a lot.
Q. Maybe we should stick with electronics.
How long have you been involved in this hedo¬
nistic pleasure? ,
A. 1 built my first crystal set when I was
nine years old. I attached an aerial to my
mother’s clothesline, borrowed earphones
from my grandmother’s Atwater-Kent
radio set and wound a coil around an old
toilet paper roll. I remember one time I
picked up a transmitter in Texas.
To increase my assembly skills, 1 took a
correspondence course for radio techni¬
cians. As a project, 1 had to assemble a
VTVM. About the time I was going to
check it out, a sailing friend of mine named
Bennett dropped by to see if we could repair
his defective depth finder.
We checked it out with my new VTVM
and concluded the wiring in the depth
finder was reversed. Bennett sent the equip¬
ment back to the factory. Later we found
out the wiring was okay, but the batteries
were in backwards.
Q. Just what electronic equipment do you
have installed here?
A. One hi-fi set with multiple loud¬
speakers, three TV sets, two CB mobile rigs
with one doubling as a base station, one set
of walkie-talkies, one “fuzz-buster,” a
police radio monitor/scanner, one tele¬
phone amplifier, an electronic weather sta¬
tion, an electronically controlled model
railroad and two hand calculators.
Q. 1 didn’t hear you mention any com¬
puters. Aren’t you afraid of losing your avant
garde status? After all, there are a lot of kits
and microprocessing systems available now.
A. Oh no, I’m in good shape. You see,
what’s available now is for the amateur
hobbyist. I classify myself as a professional.
I have a terminology that applies specifi-
The Human
Connection
cally to the computer-in-the-home situa¬
tion. I use the term “houseware” instead of
hardware and “spouseware” instead of
software.
I judge the new personal computing
systems by whether they are truly designed
for household applications and whether
Roberta can operate them. 1 have four
questions to ask of the computer systems
(but which 1 now ask Roberta) which deter¬
mine the viability of the total homespun in¬
formation system:
1. How am I going to be entertained this
evening?
Calculator games are trivial; TV sports
games — ping pong, tennis and the like —
are way overpriced. We hobbyists need so¬
phisticated programmable machines which
will enable us to play games in battlefield,
political and international finance situa¬
tions; you know, global command and con¬
trol, manipulating cartels . . . that sort of
thing.
2. Where is all the money going?
We need a programmed system with some
low-cost display which will allow the easy
entry of income and expenses and the
generation of family financial management
reports — which will help Roberta know
what to give me for my allowance this week.
3. What are we having for dinner tonight?
We desperately need a menu preparation
and control system so Roberta can
automate the storage and retrieval of my
favorate recipes. Right now, it seems the
good ones always get buried somewhere in
the kitchen cabinet . . . and 1 am sorely
tired of French bread pizza.
4. Where the hell are the kids?
We need a total information system for
the optimum scheduling and report dis¬
tribution functions of teenage child supervi¬
sion. Perhaps this is the most serious prob¬
lem we face.
Only when technology can untangle the
multiple overlapping requirements of these
children for family cars and their drivers,
rec room, TV and kitchen resources will
computers be broadly accepted in the
marketplace.
Readers are invited to submit questions,
ideas and comments about computer manage¬
ment and human relations to be answered in
this column. Send them to Stone, Suite 222,
2233 Wisconsin Ave. N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20007.
Fight for Respect Worthwhile
Battle to Get Computers Off 'Scapegoat List’ Uphill
People have always needed something to
blame for things they don’t like or just plain
don’t understand. These scapegoats have
traditionally included, among other things,
the weather, the government, trade unions,
the New Generation, the Old Generation,
TV signals and Big Business.
But scapegoats
come in pecking
orders. Given a
choice of what to
blame — the weather
or Big Business, for
example — people
will tend to choose
one in preference to
the other.
Computers are one
scapegoat candidate
of which we have
been aware for some
years. This week it
seems suitable to see what we know about
ourselves as scapegoats because of three
items in my mailbag.
The three items were a Computerworld
subscription request card sent to Prof.
Longhill of Clarion State College in
Clarion, Pa.; Form ID-A8-10 sent by
Popular Electronics to Wayne Guerrini in
Palmdale, Calif., and my latest Master
Charge statement.
Computer-Related...
These three items had some things in com¬
mon. They were all mass-produced and
seemed never to have been looked over by
any human person before they were sent
out.
All showed visible computer connections.
The Popular Electronics' form was a
delayed subscriptioh notice with Guerrini’s
name not properly justified and the ab¬
breviation “BX” used quite unnecessarily
for “P.O. Box.”
•Longhill’s card was simply a printed form
with a computer-produced mailing label;
mine was the standard computer output
that 1 have printed before.
In addition to being computer-related,
they all annoyed the receivers. Guerrini was
told that it would take six months before he
would get Popular Electronics. Longhill
already has a subscription to
Computerworld — and has had for 5 years.
He would like to be free from being asked
to subscribe again.
And my Master Charge statement asked
me to pay $35.20 for “Executive
Cheek,”which I thought was cheeky indeed.
It then went on to make two charges for
a hotel, only one of which I could trace, and
finally showed the entry
“AIROOOOOOLE” which I had pre¬
viously complained about was caused by a
programming fault that was superimposing
a six-digit zero field over the words AIR
SHUTTLE and over various other already
poor descriptions.
Computers Blamed
The clincher, however, was the reactions
of Guerrini and Longhill. Guerrini, who is
a programmer himself, wrote, “It seems
that there is going to be a ‘slight’ delay in
processing my order. About a six-month
delay, to be exact. It seems incredible to me.
“What I would like you to do is to find
out why it takes them six months to process
a subscription order.”
In fact, however, the computer-produced
form said nothing about taking six months
to process a subscription ordef. What it
said was, “Unfortunately, our supply of the
current issue is depleted, as the demand for
Popular Electronics has been greater than
our expectations.”
In short, they didn’t have enough to go
round and won’t until next July. It’s
magazines that are short — not processing
time that is long.
Longhill was equally certain about his
problem’s cause. “This is another case of
screwed-up system design - I have been tak¬
ing CW for five years already” was his com¬
ment.
Sorry, Professor. It wasn’t a system design
screw-up — it was the use of an indepen¬
dent mailing list in security and economic
constraints. There is nothing on the form
that suggested CW thinks you may not be
a subscriber already.
On' the contrary, it said, “Already a
subscriber? Then perhaps you’d like to pass
on this message to someone who’s reading
your copy!”
As for my own case, the Master Charge
•form was sloppy but, except possibly for $2,
correct. “Executive Cheek” was not some
rip-off entry, but a correct bill for “Ex¬
ecutive House.”
High-Priority Scapegoat
So in all three cases, although computers
were blamed, they were in fact really being
scapegoats for other problem areas whose
priority in the “Who can we blame?” peck¬
ing order came lower than computers.
I can’t see this going away for many years.
It is so easy to blame computers, and there
are enough computer failures to make it
plausible that computers will continue to be
a high-priority scapegoat for years to come.
That is simply a fact of life, and one with
which any system designer must live. In
fact, we start not from ground zero, but
with a handicap in our relationship with the
outside world. We won’t get an even break.
Like all other major developments in the
world’s history, we will have an uphill fight
to get and keep respect for honest, reliable
working systems. It will have to be fought
for — and that is your job.
Don’t think that fighting for respect is not
worthwhile. It is, even if it costs money. So
don’t expect it to come for free, because
that way lies the type of reputation that we
just can’t afford: nice, all-purpose
scapegoats.
© Copyright 1977 Alan Taylor. Reproduc¬
tion for commercial purposes requires written
permission. Limited numbers of copies for
non-commercial purposes may be made pro¬
vided they carry this copyright notice. The
views expressed in this column do not neces¬
sarily reflect those of Computerworld.
'You Don't Think We're in That Loop Again, Do You?'
The Taylor
Report
By
Alan Taylor, COP
r
Page 18
I COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
Meet Back-Stabbing Sty Norman
Success Can Be Hollow If It’s Gained Currying Favor
The Sociology
of
Computing
By Miles Benson
Special to Computerworld
When Stu Norman first came to Balder¬
dash Iron and Steel, he had the look of suc¬
cess written all over him. He dressed right,
he looked right, he approached all the right
people, he supported all the right causes, he
said all the right things.
The problem with Stu was, though, that
while he had
cultivated the look of
success, success had
never managed to
seep below the
surface. Stu was a
hollow shell. But I’m
getting ahead of my story.
You've all heard of people who try to
achieve success by climbing up the backs of
others? Well, that’s how Stu and I met. I
was in charge of the procurement of a real¬
time system for Balderdash, buying one of
those microprogrammable wonders that
could control ingot processing and bill
customers in its spare time, and Stu was
brought in to help me out.
I still remember that first meeting - 1 was
explaining the details of the contract to
him, broadly, by way of introduction, and
before I knew it he was critiquing the ap¬
proach and suggesting major revisions.
With the advantage of hindsight, 1 now
realize that Stu was looking for a way up
the Balderdash management ladder, and I
was his most handy first rung. Whatever the
cause, though, my computing life became a
kind of hell for the next six months.
His initial critique was just the beginning.
Top management, unfortunatley, put us in
tandem harness on that subcontract task,
and we were in constant contact. But while
1 spent my days reviewing customer specs
and tending to contract enforcement, Stu
was off in top management's offices,
cultivating influential people.
At first I thought that was a serious prob¬
lem; wasting company time and failing to
perform on the job seemed like the ultimate
sin. But when the fruits of Stu’s labors
began descending on me, I realized there
was a new ultimate sin. He hadn't just been
cultivating, up there on mahogany row —
he’d been badmouthing, too. Sweet, inno¬
cent little old me.
To make matters even worse, manage¬
ment loved it. It felt it at last had an agent
in the shop who was representing its best in¬
terests and keeping it informed. Somehow
Stu never made it look like the conniving
and busybodying it really was; it always
came through as an analysis by someone
with the best interests of the company at
heart.
I've always felt the best way to stop an
opponent is to use his own game against
him. But Stu was too good at his game. I
couldn’t figure out any way to get the truth
about Stu through to management without
looking like a sour grape artist.
Then 1 hit on it. Perhaps the best way to
beat old Stu was to lie down and roll over.
The more I thought about it the better I
liked it. 1 watched for my best opportunity.
It wasn’t long in coming. Stu seemed to be
on a fault-a-day program about that time.
The issue was simple enough. The con¬
tract called for the process control software
to be written in a high-order language, with
no more than 20% in Assembly code.
I felt good about that requirement. It
pushed the state of the process control art
a little, since Assembly code is still pretty
prevalent in those parts. But Balderdash in¬
tended to maintain and modify the
delivered code in-house, and in no way did
we want to try to understand someone else’s
possibly spaghetti-structure Assembler
code.
Stu, to his credit, didn't take issue with
any of that. The problem, he said, was that
I hadn’t been specific enough. The contract
should have named a particular high order
language, Stu declared at toplung. Other¬
wise the vendor could use some obsolete
language like Neat or Fact.
And, he said as his coup de grace, it was
obvious that the choice for required lan¬
guage should have been Cobol. After all, it
was the most commonly used language in
the world.
Knowing I was setting a trap for Stu, I
still couldn't help but gulp when I realized
how solidly he had planted his foot in it.
Cobol is a fine language for business DP
but as a process control language, Cobol is
like a 747 in the Reno Air Races.
After my initial gulp, I realized that this
was the opportunity I’d been waiting for.
“Well, Stu,” I said when the issue came up
in one of those come-to-God formal meet¬
ings with mangement, “I’m kind of
dubious, but maybe you’ve got an idea
there.” (I gagged back the words “good
idea.”)
“Tell you what. I’ll manage the hardware
part of this contract. Why don’t you take
over the software?”
Stu nearly leaped off his chair at the
chance. It was the break for which he had
been stabbing me in the back. He had
managed to slice off a piece of my action,
carve a notch for himself on the corporate
org chart and score a clear technical win all
at the same time.
He had thrust himself into my trap so
completely 1 bagan feeling a few small
twinges of guilt. Fortunately, they passed.
I turned over all my software files to Stu.
The impact, even from the outset, was
miraculous. He began hanging around his
desk a lot. 1 quit taking heat from managers
because he didn’t have time to turn their
thermostats up.
It took Stu about three weeks to cut the
proposed contract change requiring Cobol
and herd it through Balderdash’s bureau¬
cratic approval process. Then it went out to
the vendor, and Stu returned to haunt the
corporate offices while I tuned my seismo¬
graph for the coming cataclysm.
Four days later, the rumbling began. The
vendor’s software manager was on the
phone 10 minutes after getting the letter.
“Who the hell,” he began, and I blush at
the thought of repeating the remainder of
the conversation.
“Sorry,” I interjected when his Richter
roar subsided to a mild 3.4, “but that’s not
my area any more. You’ll have to talk to
Stu Norman.”
And with that, I hung up -the phone,
pulled on my jacket and headed home.
When I came back to work the next day,
Stu had packed and gone.
1 1
February 28, 1977
IHCOMPUTERWORLD
Novice DP Grad, Veteran DPer With B.A. Prove Equal
By Jack M. Wolfe
Special to Computerworld
Interesting answers have resulted from
Art Jandreau’s question. [CW, Jan. 31]
about the study I conducted [“Novice DP
Majors Outscore Veteran DPers,” Jan. 10].
Whereas the novice computer science
graduates ranked 49% at the superior level
on our programming aptitude test, the 311
experienced programmers with a college
degree had virtually the same proportion —
48% — scoring at that level.
Although the group of experienced pro¬
grammers who are college graduates con¬
tains a substantial number of persons who
had majored in computer science or
mathematics, even the others must have in¬
cluded almost as many, proportionately, at
the superior level.
But the total group of experienced pro¬
grammers does not include those who
worked as programmers and then left the
field. The superior percentage would have
been much less had the programmer group
been based on original employment.
For example, of 198 job applicants who
were college graduates and majored in
subjects other than DP or mathematics,
only 20% scored at the superior level.
As novice college graduates applying for
jobs as programmers, the DP majors are
decidedly superior, as a group, to the group
of other majors. But a significant portion of
the non-DP graduates will be superior to
many of the DP graduates because of the
substantial overlapping of the two groups.
Applicants must be considered and ap¬
praised individually, not as members of a
group.
On the lower end of the scale, the differen¬
tial in favor of the DP majors is more pro¬
nounced. Whereas only 19% of the DP
majors scored as below average, 28% of the
experienced programmers who were college
graduates and 56% of the job applicants
who were college graduates majoring in
subjects other than DJ* or mathematics
scored at the level below average.
Companies that now require program¬
ming experience would do well to add: “or
Reader
Commentary
a bachelor’s degree with a major in com¬
puter science.”
The employment officer may feel he can
get as high a proportion of persons with
superior capabilities if he selects only from
applicants with actual experience.
But if he automatically excludes the new
computer graduates, he is necessarily ex¬
cluding some very highly superior persons
and is thereby filling some of his positions
with persons of better-than-average but not
highly superior capabilities.
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Such an employment policy also means
risking hiring more of the below average
group because precise identification is not
likely to be made successfully from an in¬
terview or from consideration of the
person’s record of previous experience.
Logical capabilities are more likely to be
brought out by an appropriate test than by
an interview in which personality factors
play a large part either for an applicant or
against him.
Those experienced programmers who did
not have a college degree did less well in
their test ratings than the college graduates.
For those with two years of college, 27%
scored above average and 47% below
average. For those experienced program¬
mers whose formal schooling stopped at
high school graduation, only 14% scored
above average while as many as 66% scored
below -average.
Of the 443 experienced programmers in
these three groups, 70% were college
graduates, 20% had two years of college and
10% were high school graduates.The rela¬
tively few persons with one or three years of
college were not included in this part of the
study.
Because of the substantial overlapping of
all groups, however, the employer should
not base his hiring on the group in which
the applicant appears to be classified. Every
group has some superior members and
some inferior members, in varying percent¬
ages.
Concerned With Work Potential
In a survey of our computer science
graduates at Brooklyn College, we found
that a substantial number of those who
responded stated that at most of the com¬
panies to which they applied for program¬
ming positions, they were automatically ex¬
cluded from any consideration at all
because they had had no actual work ex¬
perience.
It was not unusual for these applicants to
visit as many as five companies before they
received an interview for bona fide consid¬
eration toward possible employment.
One student reported that the interviewer
saw from his application that he had
majored in computer science and informed
him that this was a business company and
that he should have applied instead to a
scientific organization for a job in scientific
programming.
The interviewer just did not understand
what makes up computer science. Some su¬
pervisors at the present time probably
graduated from college when computer
science departments were rather rare.
They may not actually know what stu¬
dents majoring in computer science learn
and they may be inclined to dismiss a
degree in computer science as theoretical
and not only impractical but almost as if it
were antipractical.
While it may be true that some computer
science graduates have not had much ex¬
perience in handling multifiles or utility
programs, these are aspects of the work that
they could pick up quite easily on the job.
I have no doubt that as more and more
computer science graduates rise to positions
of supervisory level in their companies, the
reception of future graduates of computer
science will improve. But we should not
merely wait for five to 10 years. The present
computer science graduates deserve a better
reception from industry than they are now
getting from some companies.
Companies that do employ the new com¬
puter science graduates are not disappoin¬
ted. These persons are not exploring the
field to see whether they really want to
make computers their long-term career. Af¬
ter four years of study, they know that this
is what they want.
An enlightened industry has a civic re¬
sponsibility to at least consider the profes¬
sionally prepared applicant on his in¬
dividual merits and potential for successful
work.
Wolfe is professor of computer and in¬
formation science at Brooklyn College in
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Page 20
ICOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
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Medical Surveillance Systems:
Who Ensures Safety of Patient?
By Kenniston W. Lord Jr.
Special to Computerworld
In a recent presentation before the Ameri¬
can Heart Association, Dr. Roy Jurado of
Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York stated that
“computerized surveillance can play a role
in reducing morbidity in postoperative
cardiac surgical patients.”
Reporting the results of a 30-month study,
Jurado noted computers were used to re¬
cord some 35 different physiological
variables during an average period of 37
hours following heart surgery.
The director of the Mt. Sinai Cardiac
Surgical Intensive Care Unit related that of
120 patients monitored under the com¬
puterized system, only one had been lost,
and that that loss had occurred because a
human failed to react to the computer¬
generated warning signals. This compared
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favorably to the precomputer methods of
patient monitoring.
Such news is good news, of course, and
clearly demonstrates the humanitarian
aspects of computing. At the same time,
. . . And in
This Corner
this news is very disquieting, for with the in¬
creased acceptance of such devices there ex¬
ists the ever-present potential that the single
patient lost from human disregard could
just as easily be lost because of purposeful
or accidental intent on the part of the
equipment designers, the programmers or
the systems installers.
Computerized surveillance systems, like
so many others, lack even the most elemen¬
tary guarantees, inspections and account¬
ability.
Such thoughts were part of a presentation
I made at a leading minicomputer
manufacturer’s management development
seminar. After I had completed that part of
the presentation, one irate member of the
audience rose and loudly advised me that he
had developed that application and pro¬
ceeded to tick off the names of the doctors
and other interested personnel who had
observed the development of the system.
I listened to him patiently and responded
with but a very simple question: To what
nationally recognized and mandatory stan¬
dard did the medical systems of his com¬
pany and all the other manufacturers
adhere?
His response was, “None.”
Think of the ways the system could be
sabotaged. It could be something as simple
as establishing, on some random variable, a
minimum heartbeat so low as to avoid the
warning mechanisms of the equipment.
Sensing the expiration of the patient would
not be difficult, upon which the program¬
mer could, in nanoseconds, reestablish the
acceptable count, and nobody would be the
wiser.
What is required? First and foremost, a
recognition of the fact that such a situation
could Well exist.* After all, who says com¬
puter people are immune to convictions
about euthanasia?
Next, the Heart Association must come to
grips with the fact that if such devices are
to be used, mandatory standards must be
developed.
Next, legislators must enforce such stan¬
dards with the weight of law, the violation
of which carries with ft* a minimum of en¬
forced manslaughter charges.
And, finally, accountability must be
assigned to and required of the DP person
who actually constructs, tests, implements
and monitors such systems.
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Page 21
February 28, 1977
Computetworld
SOFTWARE&SERVICES
Acquisition of Dictionary Insures Benefits of DBMS
By Don Leavitt
Of the CW Staff
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A year-long
study leading to the choice of a data base
management system (DBMS) has “paid off
handsomely in the past two and a half
years,” according to the data base adminis¬
trator of a national insurance company
headquartered here.
But much of the payoff from using the
DBMS came as a result of acquiring a data
dictionary package six months after the
DBMS itself was installed, Robert Becker
of Foremost Insurance Co. noted recently.
The combined facilities of Adabas from
Software AG and the Datamanager from
Management Systems & Programming
Ltd., plus a lot of work by the in-house
staff, have made the company’s policy ad¬
ministration system as effective as it is, he
said.
Insurance is “very competitive,” Becker
explained. Although Foremost didn’t know
what data structure it wanted for policy ad¬
ministration, it knew conventional Files
wouldn’t be flexible enough.
Start of Search
The evaluation process leading to the
choice of Adabas started about three and a
half years ago when Becker attended a
three-day seminar by Leo Cohen of Perfor¬
mance Development Corp. Cohen used his
time to outline the different types of DBMS
and Becker continued his study by reading
“from cover to cover” Cohen’s Data Base
Management Systems : A Comparative and
Critical Analysis.
Then Becker invited the five major DBMS
vendors of that time — IBM (IMS), Cin-
com Systems, Inc. (Total), Cullinane Corp.
(IDMS), MRI (System 2000) and Software
AG (Adabas) — to make their presenta¬
tions.
He then asked for and got user references
from each of the vendors and, even though
he knew they would be biased in favor of
the vendor, contacted them anyway. He
asked for rundowns of their experiences
with the packages, but also sought copies of
any reports of benchmarking they might
have undertaken during their own DBMS
evaluations.
While that approach was unusual, Becker
said he followed it since Foremost was close
to a hardware change. Tests on the then-
current 512K. IBM 370/145, running under
DOS, would probably be meaningless in the
370/158, OS/VS2 environment the com¬
pany now has.
Data Collection Eased on 90/30, 25
BLUE BELL, Pa. — The Information
Collection System (ICS/90) just introduced
by Univac for its 90/25 [CW, Feb. 14] and
90/30 CPUs edits data entered through
CRT terminals and stores it on disk for
processing, according to a spokesman.
Used with the previously available
storage-and-retrieval capabilities of
CPE Papers Sought
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Special
Interest Group on Measurement
(Sigmetrics) of the Association for Com¬
puting Machinery (ACM) and the Com¬
puter Measurement Group (CMG) will
hold a joint national conference here in
November, according to general
chairman Robert Bishop of Comten,
Inc.
The technical program will cover both
theoretical and practical aspects of com¬
puter performance evaluation (CPE)
and program chairman Robert L. Mor¬
rison of IBM-Poughkeepsie has issued a
call for papers on pertinent topics.
Abstracts of proposed papers (300- to
600 words long, with a working title) are
requested by April 1, with full-length
presentations (5,000 to 7,000 words) due
a month later, the chairman said.
Double-spaced typed contributions
should be sent to Morrison, IBM Corp.
B617072, Box 390, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
12602.
Univac’s Information Management System
(I MS/90), ICS/90 “includes all the func¬
tions necessary to enter, validate, correct
and verify data on-line,” he claimed.
The system supports input from Uniscope
100 and 200 as well as UTS 400 terminals,
he said, adding that since these units may be
located either away from or near the CPU,
data may be collected directly where it is
generated.
Carrying the direct collection idea still
further, ICS/90 provides a simple screen
formatting feature so data can be entered in
“fill-in-the-blanks” style, he said. Users
therefore need not be heavily trained in DP,
he added.
Errors made during data entry are
recognized by the edit software and brought
to the attention of the operator so they can
be corrected, Univac said. ICS/90 includes
a set of optional data validation checks in¬
cluding numeric, alpha or alphanumeric
content, range tests, date checks and check-
digit validation, the spokesman noted.
To the “standard” options, users may add
application-dependent checks of their own
through what Univac called “simple pro¬
gramming.” Data validation procedures
can include the accessing of disk-resident
master files, the spokesman said.
Since ICS/90 operates under control of
IMS/90, the facilities of both are available
to terminal users in the OS/3 environment
of the small Series 90 CPUs. These facilities
include File inquiry and updating, transac¬
tion processing and information collection,
Univac said.
Although IMS/90 has been implemented
under OS/4 and VS/9 as well as OS/3,
ICS/90 is limited to the latter environment,
the spokesman noted.
IMS/90 is free but ICS/90, classed as a
program product, will cost $80/mo when it
becomes available next month, the com¬
pany added.
Becker was convinced he needed a DBMS
that was capable of changing, and changing
quickly if need be, in response to com¬
petitive pressures. IMS was washed out on
that point: It could be adapted, but changes
weren’t easy, Becker said.
Total was eliminated because, at that
time, “it was a rather simplistic product. It
didn’t have a report writer, an on-line query
language. It didn’t .lend itself to easy
change,” he added.
IDMS “was in its infancy, and though I
might have changed my mind if I’d seen the
product that has developed, it didn’t exist
then,” he continued. In any case, he chose
Adabas and said he has been quite satisfied
with the choice.
Need for Management
The move into a data base environment
for the policy administration application
began reasonably well but, half a year into
the project, Becker and others saw the need
for additional support. The data base was
developing so well they realized they needed
some way of managing the items in the
base.
But for a product such as he wanted to be
really useful, he said, it would have had to
be on-line and “comfortably” accessible to
the real end user who hadn’t been trained
(Continued on Page 22)
Independent Bucks Univac DMS
With Data Dictionary Package
DENVILLE, N.J. — Apparently for the
first time, an independent software vendor
has introduced a data dictionary package
for use with Univac’s DMS- 1 100 data base
management system operating on 1 100
series mainframes.
As with almost all “dictionaries,” the
DCS 1 from Haverly Systems, Inc. is said
to perform a primary role in the control and
distribution of an organization’s informa¬
tion resources. It is a tool for both the data
base administrator and application pro¬
grammers, Haverly said.
The package creates a repository — called
the Meta Base — containing all informa¬
tion about the user’s data base and the pro¬
grams accessing it. The subsystem that
creates the Meta Base uses source programs
as input, a spokesman noted.
An update subsystem allows for manual
additions and deletions of entities,
attributes and relationships to the Meta
Base. With this facility, the user can put
together the dictionary as information
becomes available, enter data not normally
palt of the source programs or files or enter
proposed changes to create “test schemata”
in the Meta Base, according to the
spokesman.
The dictionary also has the facility to
produce reports on any or all the informa¬
tion in the Meta Base, Haverly continued.
Reports can include lists of the names, the
attributes or the user descriptors of
schemata, records, data items, sets, areas
and programs.
Information about the relationships of
these various groupings is also available, as
is selected information on specific record,
schema, area, set or program occurrence,
the spokesman noted.
DCS 1 can be licensed under a one-time
cost of $18,500 or $785/mo for a minimum
of six months. Both plans include one day
of installation services, although the user is
responsible for the vendor’s travel and liv¬
ing expenses, the company said from 78
Broadway, Denville, N.J. 07834.
MMS GENERAL LEDGER quickly builds a
solid financial reporting foundation.
Financial reporting systems from Software International
are the most popular data base-oriented systems in the *
world. More than 1,000 leading corporations all over the globe I
have installed MMS systems.
' Because it is designed from the ground up as a data base system, the MMS GENERAL
LEDGER is at home in DOS, O/S, IMS, IDMS, DL/1 and even TOTAL. It is the per¬
fect foundation for any of the other powerful financial reporting systems from Software
International.
When you build your data base financial management system with the MMS GEN¬
ERAL LEDGER, you get a rock-solid foundation, including basic and advanced educa¬
tion, thorough and tested documentation, and the experience of the Number One financial
applications software company. Get the MMS GENERAL LEDGER and companion sys¬
tems . . . only from Software International.
I am interested In your date base-oriented Financial Reporting
System. Please send me more Information about:
□ MMS General Ledger
□ MMS Accounts Payable
□ MMS Accounts Receivable
D Net Change MRP
□ Q-PAC PAYROLL
□ FILETAB
□ S/3 General Ledger
□ S/3 Accounts Payable
®
Name _ : _
Title _
Company.
Address
. system _
.Phone.
Clty_
INTERNATIONAL
Elm Square, Andover, Mass. 01810 (617) 475-5040
New York (914) 332-0040 Washington, D.C. (301) 770-6460
Philadelphia (302) 995-7101 Chicago (312) 729-7410
San Diego (714) 292-9833 Toronto (416) 862-0521 Dallas (214) 233-5656
.
Page 22
I COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
1
Digital Associates Corporation
1039 East Main Street
Stamford, Conn. 06902
Just one of the many leading companies you'll see at
COMPUTER L
EXPO
Digital Associates offers line printers ranging from 100 to 1200 LPM
with savings of 20% & 50% over same performance OEM equipment.
Available for short term rentals, lease or purchase, the printers are
plug-compatible with most minicomputers, and are backed by a
nationwide service network.
Organized by:
COMPUTER
CARAVAN
The national computer exposition that's coming to you.
797 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02160
(617) 985-5800.
San Francisco • Los Angeles • Cleveland • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Chicago • New York • Philadelpia • Washington, D C. • Boston. Starts March 29th.
Sequential Processing Facility
Featured as Extension of IDMS
WELLESLEY, Mass. — The Integrated
Data Base Management System (IDMS)
has been extended by Cullinane Corp. to
include a sequential processing facility
encompassing file access, primary and sec¬
ondary indexing and generic key re¬
trievals, the company said.
The sequential storage mode is in addi¬
tion to the random, direct and set-related
methods previously provided by IDMS, a
spokesman noted. By permitting IDMS
records to be stored in physical as well as
logical order, the facility makes sequen¬
tial processing — often all that is need¬
ed — fast and efficient, he claimed.
Regardless of storage mode, the sequen¬
tial facility permits the basic system to
maintain “any number” of primary and
secondary index keys for access to data
base records, he said. Typical uses might
You’ve seen this kind of
competitive spirit before in
American business.
Avis versus Hertz.
Volkswagen versus Detroit.
And now, Wang versus IBM.
Sure, IBM is big. But big doesn’t
mean better.
Wang won’t sell you a small
computer in excess of your needs.
Wang actually designs a system to
answer your problem.
Which is why our systems are
ingeniously simple to operate.
In short, we’ll do more for you
than IBM. Make sure Wang is on the
l ist of manufacturers you talk to for
stand-alone or distributed
processing. Write: Wang
Laboratories Inc., One
Industrial Ave., Lowell,
Mass. 01851. Or call (617)
851-4111. We’ve yettobite
off more than we can chew.
/ - I'd like to know just how much"l
hungrierWang can be.
Namej _
.State.
- Tel _ DP58/CW2jJ
include access to customer records by
name and account number or by Zip
Code, credit rating or category code,
Cullinane added.
The generic key retrieval support allows
access to the data base by a partial key
value. In some instances, for example, the
first three digits of a code may be a group
identifier and information about the group
is what is wanted more than data about a
specific member.
The generic key facility can also be
applied to parts of names, the company
noted, so all customers who have “Good”
as the first syllable of their names, for
example, might be retrieved for some
special promotion.
The sequential processing facility is
completely trartsparent to the program
that isn’t using it; no reprogramming is
required because of the additional capa¬
bility, the spokesman added. The feature
operates under any environment includ¬
ing batch or any of the teleprocessing
modes supported by IDMS, he said.
The enhancements are included in the
versions of IDMS now being distributed
by Cullinane. These start at $42,000, the
company said from Wellesley Office Park,
20 William St., Wellesley, Mass. 02181.
Structured Design-
Covered by Guide
SCHILLER PARK, Ill. - The Struc¬
tured Design Reference Guide published
by Deltak, Inc. is a “hip-pocket aid”
programmers can carry with them as they
do their work.
The 64-page guide follows the Yourdon/
Constantine or IBM approaches to struc¬
tured design and was originally developed
as an adjunct to Deltak’s multimedia
courses on the subject.
The spiral-bound booklet can be used
by itself, however, and is available to
users regardless of whether they have the
course materials, a spokesman said.
The importance of keeping steps in the
design process in order is stressed by the
guide. Once a user has completed what he
thinks is needed, the guide shows what
steps should follow for evaluating the
work done to date, he added.
Since terminology is viewed by Deltak
as an important part of structured design
work, the guide includes a 26-page glos¬
sary.
The 4- by 8-in. pages are plastic-coated
and “sturdy enough to take a lot of hard
use,” the spokesman claimed. The book¬
let costs $20 per copy and can be ordered
from Deltak, 9950 W. Lawrence Ave.,
Schiller Park, Ill. 60176.
Dictionary Choice
Brings DBMS Payoff
(Continued from Page 21 )
in DP. “He should be able to sit down at
a CRT and look up almost anything he
could ppssibly want.”
Becker considered a number of dictionary
or directory products but some were clearly
outside his range, even though they had
good reputations: University Computing
Corp.’s UCC Ten, for example, was geared
to IMS installations only.
He tried Data Catalogue but found its
fixed format was difficult to use in an on¬
line setting. This package didn’t have any
interactive inquiry capability and its reports
were cumbersome and difficult to read, es¬
pecially in a CRT-based environment, he
said.
A seminar on the Datamanager convinced
him the product was designed for the opera¬
tion he had in mind: “The responses tend to
lead you to the next logical question . . . it’s
easy to use ... so that’s what we got.”
February 28, 1 977 S COMPUTERWORLD
Page 23
User Who's Seen There Warns:
Installing First Package? Prepare to Work Long, Hard
By Kirk Weiberg
Special to Computerworld
When the Ben Franklin Division of City
Products Corp. was faced with the need for
4^3 generalized Financial control system, our
data processing priorities and time limita¬
tions virtually necessitated purchasing a
package rather than developing such a
broad-based system in-house. We felt our
basic accounting practices were little dif¬
ferent from many other companies;
therefore, a generalized package from a
software vendor would most likely fit our
needs and include the capabilities we wan¬
ted.
We began our search by talking with other
companies (including Our parent, House¬
hold Finance) and used our consultations
with them to narrow our choice to three
packages. We were looking for a great deal
of flexibility in report writers and cost cen¬
ter hierarchy orientation. The package we
finally chose was UCC/FCS from Univer¬
sity Computing Co., primarily because we
had heard good things about UCC’s service
and support. «
We ran into some internal problems in the
implementation of the system. The process
took longer and required more effort than
we expected, particularly a tremendous
amount of additional management time
that was not envisioned in the beginning.
The general ledger implementation extend¬
ed beyond a six-month period and our plan¬
ning just did not anticipate the total effort
required.
We also experienced a major problem on
the technical side of the implementation.
Our hardware at first could not meet the
core requirements of the package. Ob¬
viously, we’ve resolved that problem, but
the fact that it even arose shows how unpre¬
pared we were.
We were geared almost completely to the
development and support of systems
designed by our internal systems and pro¬
gramming staff. We had no experience tech¬
nically in planning for an outside software
product.
But not all our problems were of our own
doing. Our personnel had trouble using the
documentation provided by UCC at first. It
could have been a lot clearer. However, a
new revision has just been released which
alleviates most of our criticisms.
Initial support from the vendor was more
general than we would have liked, espe¬
cially as we got into reviewing how we were
going to use the package in our environ¬
ment.
But when we got our own customer sup¬
port representative and he became more
aware of what we were attempting to do,
the support was excellent. We would have
preferred to have more time available from
UCC personnel, but we definitely did not
Distributed Editing
Links CSG Mini, 168
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Canada
Systems Group (CSG) has teamed a
minicomputer with IBM 370/ 168s to pro¬
vide Distributed Editing Services (DES).
Through the service a user with a low-speed
terminal can communicate directly with the
mainframe or do interactive work with the
mini, CSG said.
The mini is an integral extension of the
168, a spokesman claimed. With DES, the
full range of CSG batch and remote job en¬
try services are available to the low-speed
terminal.
Typically 300 bit/sec terminals are used
but, by special arrangement, speeds up to
2,400 bit/sec can be supported. Basic is the
language used on the mini; “a wide range”
of languages is available on the 168, CSG
said from 2599 Speakman Drive,
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
lack good customer support — it was there,
once we and UCC became more familiar
with our particular installation.
We have also had good support after the
sale. Different types of workshops covering
fill aspects of the system — the budgeting
module as well as other features — have
been made available to our personnel.
We have also sent our employees to
UCC’s user conferences. These meetings
have given us the opportunity to review the
way we are operating our general ledger
system and compare it with other user ex¬
periences. We also can discuss our unique
problems with all the UCC personnel and
get a quick response.
We are quite satisfied with the product so
far. We had hoped to be further along than
we are, but in the beginning we were just
not able to get a complete grasp on the
system’s capabilities or estimate the amount
of in-house time it would take to interface
it to our other applications.
We thought we could do it all rather
quickly and we found out how wrong we
were.
We felt UCC/FCS’s capabilities would
'meet our needs and they have — so far as
we have been able to dedicate the time to
making them work in our environment. We
are also pleased with the overall system and
the improvements and enhancements that
have been made since we purchased it.
UCC/FCS is usable by a non-DP person
and we have found it quite adaptable to our
heeds. But a person unfamiliar with DP will
not be able to understand all the mechanics
of any system, whether it is a package or an
internal development. In that regard, we
have to communicate through a systems
person who has the knowledge of how a
product of this size must be used.
Looking back, we should have spent more
time reviewing with other companies the
approach they took to the initial implemen¬
tation. We also should have taken longer to
look at how the package was to be used and
what its requirements would be within our
own computer department.
It seems most users tend to oversimplify
the general ledger conversion, while in fact
it takes a great deal of time on the part of
the user. The package cannot be taken out
of a “trunk,” put on a tape drive and be ex¬
pected to generate results. Regardless of
what you buy, it's going to take a lot of pre¬
planning and a lot of work.
Weiberg is controller at the Ben Franklin
Division, City Products Corp., in Des
Plaines, III.
Go ahead. Save tlie money
Design votir own system.
There are a lot of very good hardware
makers in this business.
Hardware makers who, in order to
compete with that company with the
three impressive, and expensive,
initials, offer you more impressive,
and less expensive cost/performance
stories.
And one nagging worry.
The worry: if you pick a
mainframe here,
and an add-on
memory there,
and a West Coast
printer, and an East
Coast CRT, and an out-
of-the-country plotter,
who do you call when
something goes wrong?
Please: don’t worry.
Because when you talk with
your various suppliers, you’ll
find that many of them have
the same answer: you
call SORBUS.
That’s us.
We already service more
pieces of hardware (60,000),
in more user locations (16,000),
from more cities (160) than any
other company in our. business. We service,
for one instance, just about 80% of the
add-on memory units attached to IBM systems.
And we work for people with
some pretty impressive initials
of their own (alphabetical
selection on request).
And even if your hardware
supplier doesn’t use us directly,
you can. For every piece of
hardware in your system.
One phone call does it. Without
any time wasted on finger¬
pointing. (“No, not my
unit; must’ve been
theirs”.)
We take full respon¬
sibility, from writing the
operations manuals
to keeping the right
spare parts handy.
So, go ahead. Get out from
under the Armonk umbrella.
Just make sure you take out
some rainy-day insurance.
Uptime insurance.
Call SORBUS.
215-265-6700.
SORBUS me.
anMAIcompany
150 ALLENDALE ROAD
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA. 19406
215-265-6700
Page 24
fflCOMPIITERWORLD
February 28, 1977
ARE YOU CONSOLIDATING
OR CHANGING COMPUTERS?
Save Tme and ^/|anpower
by using Dataware’s conversion software and services
like over 400 other customers have.
Dataware, Inc., the leader in the conversion area is the only
company that offers a full line of conversion software and
services.
DATAWARE INC.
495 Delaware St.
Tonawanda, N.Y. 14150
(716) 695-1412
□ RPG/RPG II to COBOL
□ RPG/RPG II to PL/1
□ PL/1 to COBOL
□ AUTOCODER/SPS to COBOL
□ EASYCODER to COBOL
□ BAL/ALC to COBOL
□ 7070 AUTOCODER to COBOL
□ COBOL to COBOL
Name
Title
Company Name
Address
City State Zip Phone Ext.
CW 77
Call (800) 2271102*
for the lowest prices
and fastest deliveries on
new and used terminals.
*ln California call (415) 632-2856
New terminals at big savings.
The lowest prices on high quality .
terminals going. For sale, lease or rent.
Tl 745 portable terminal, plusTI 735,
725, 743 KSR, 733 KSR and ASR as well.
DECwriter II printer. ADDS 580 and
980 CRT’s. Diablo 1620. And others.
Used terminals save you more.
These terminals have come off lease.
They’re in excellent shape, were
regularly serviced, and have a 30-day
parts/labor warranty.
Datapoint
2200-126
Purchase
. •
Monthly
Rental
(16K)
Datapoint
2200-400
$5,995.00
$325.00
Com Box
550.00
32.00
Tl 725 Terminal
Diablo
895.00
79.95
Hytype 1
Techtran 4100
1,750.00
115.00
Datacassette
Beehive
600.00
49.95
IIIAE
999.00
99.00
NEW
NEW
DIABLO 1620
$2,895
DECWRITER II
$1,595
NEW
Tl 743 KSR
$1,295
Call from 8AM to 8PM EST.
National Terminal
Corporation
Oakland Airport Office Center
303 Hegenberger Road, Suite 203
P.O. Box 6579
Oakland, CA 94621, (415) 632-2856
utfu tm fu ,v
NEW
LEAR SIEGLER
ADM-3
$1,045
Package Cuts CICS Coding Time,
Lets Non-DPers Build Screens
NEW YORK — The Terminal Applica¬
tion Program Generator (Tapgen) is an
ANS Cobol precompiler designed to sim¬
plify the development of programs to be
run under IBM’s Customer Information
Control System (CICS), according to its
vendor, C-S Computer Systems, Inc.
Developed by Hubner and Mergard of
Frankfurt, Germany, the package may be
able to cut programming time by 80%, C-S
estimated. Users with no DP backgrounds
have created simple programs in 20
minutes, a spokesman claimed.
The system allows the user to express
FDP Uses System 3
For Control of Stock
ATLANTA — Inven/3 was described by
IBM as an inventory and purchasing
management system foT the IBM 3 designed
to lower inventory capital investment,
reduce operating costs, improve customer
service and provide support for
“management-by-exception.”
The package can calculate forecasts, order
points and suggested quantities in accor¬
dance with data input and rules set by the
buyer and top management, a spokesman
claimed. It can also bring out-of-line condi¬
tions to the user’s attention, he said.
A Field- Developed Program (FDP), In¬
ven/3 can forecast item demand for regular,
seasonal or promotional items. It considers
trend factors set by the user, IBM said.
The package reportedly balances variable
costs to help analyze order strategies and
minimize operating costs. This includes
minimizing stocks while ensuring stable
customer service, the spokesman added.
Inven/3 can generate 22 diffrent ranking
reports to help management pinpoint
potential profit-pinching problems and.
evaluate both its own accuracy and the in¬
ventory performance, he said.
Answer ‘What-IF
In addition to its regular “production”
functions, Inven/3 can be used for “what-
if ’ questions at any time without interfering
with the operational system. In “what-if”
mode, the user can update data bases in any
valid way and produce otherwise normal
reports to see the effect of proposed
changes, IBM said.
When he takes the system out of “what-
if’ mode, the user has the option of cancel¬
ling the test updates or leaving them in
place, the firm noted.
Since Inven/3 is an FDP, “modifications
are not recommended. The programs are
designed to produce useful results without
modifications,” according to a brochure
that describes the system.
The programs have been tested on a 32K
IBM 3/12 with a 1403 printer and a 3340
Model C2 direct access storage facility. The
software^ costs $300/mo with payments
waived alter the first 12 consecutive pay¬
ments.
RPG-II Systems Analyzed
With Standardized Tests
ORANGE, Calif. — A package which
provides a test of RPG-II systems that are
supposed to be IBM 3-compatible is now
available from Panatec, Inc.
The package contains 200 programs (55
compiler-only tests, 125 compile and ex¬
ecute tests, 20 system performance tests)
and test data which consists of 19,000
source statements and data records.
Source programs and test data are
available on 80-column cards or magnetic
tape. Timing results from the IBM 3 are in¬
cluded, a spokesman added.
The package is available for a one-time
license fee of $7,500. Documentation alone
costs $25, he said from 1527 Orangewood
Ave., Orange, Calif. 92668.
what he wants his program to do in fairly
nontechnical terms and presently supports
the use of both German and English as in¬
put languages.
There is a potential — through tables
for implementing other languages if the
need arises, he said.
Embedded Keywords
Keywords are part of the Tapgen lan¬
guage, he continued, but they are embedded
in statements dealing with screen handling
— TRANSMIT or RECEIVE screen, for
example — or in more conventional DP in¬
structions such as MOVE and COMPUTE.
The keywords are used to construct the
CICS macros. Tapgen also handles “all
problems” of getting and releasing storage
space, making areas addressable and
generating the required Assembler language
map phases, C-S added.
Since the package was designed to create
Cobol logic for working with CICS screens,
some users have applied that facility to the
development process itself, producing sam¬
ples of the screeqg being proposed for
review before the code is fixed, the
spokesman noted.
The system can be set up so the output of
Tapgen goes immediately into compilation
and link-edit, but the ANS Cobol source
program actually generated by Tapgen can
be “captured” so it is available for direct
maintenance without going back through
Tapgen, C-S said.
Tapgen operates under either DOS/ VS or
OS/VS and supports all file types sup¬
ported by CICS. It costs $24,000 for OS
shops or $20,500 for DOS installations.
Other payment plans are available, C-S
said from 116 John St., New York, N.Y.
10038.
Interrupt Processor
Aids DOS Developer
MADISON, Wis. — The Interrupt Proc¬
essor (Inrprocs) package from MATC was
designed to help DOS/360 programmers
during testing stages of development work.
The package will handle interrupts caused
by abnormal terminations, operator com¬
munications and program checks, the ven¬
dor said.
Inrprocs provides continued execution of
a problem program following any of these
interrupts. It allows the failing program to
invoke its respective correction routines,
assuring continued addressability and, ul¬
timately, continued execution, a spokesman
explained.
The package will, however, verify all proc¬
essing routine and Program Status Word
(PSW) addresses to ensure they are valid
before returning control to them, he said.
Further, if a second interrupt is encoun¬
tered while one is being handled, Inrprocs
will terminate the test session, he added.
Except for such “nested” interrupts, In¬
rprocs can be called more than once during
a test in order to get as much out of the ex¬
ercise as the programmer can.
The user can specify the maximum num¬
ber of each type of interrupt to be processed
before the session is aborted. The test-
support software is self-relocatable and can
be used in any partition, the vendor said.
In addition, it allows the user to suppress
application program printouts so any inter¬
rupt handling is documented for later
analysis, the spokesman added.
User of Inrprocs requires generation of
the DOS supervisor with appropriate
FOPT parameters and suppression of com¬
piler facilities that would normally process
the interrupts to be handled by Intrprocs,
MATC noted.
The package is available for a one-time
cost of $200 and is distributed on magnetic
tape supplied by the purchasing installa¬
tion, MATC said from 211 North Carroll
St., Madison, Wis. 53703.
February 28, 1977
COMPUTERWORLD
Page 25
Terminal-Based System Checks Supplies,
Speeds Orders for Okla. Manufacturer
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Each year
■fhore than 30 million feet of aluminum are
extruded from two 1,400-ton presses at
Macklanburg-Duncan Co. (M-D). Thirty-
six million feet of plastic vinyl are squirted
from other, more diminutive presses.
Both of these processed and finished com¬
modities represent just a couple of the
major components in this building supply
manufacturer’s 3,500 different products,
90% of which are designed for residences.
.Balancing raw materials inventories and
requirements that involve aluminum billets
and powdered, bulk vinyl with proper
finished goods inventory levels would be, of
course, a typical problem for any manufac¬
turer.
However, superimpose rapid order turn¬
around from some 25,000' retail building
supply outlets nationwide and demand an
accurate, order completion rate exceeding
99%. The effect is an enhanced competitive
position, a reputation built on customer
service and improved capital management.
Stronger Market Share
Extensive computerization of M-D’s dis¬
tribution and inventory management ac¬
tivities has strengthened the firm’s market
share by serving -retail outlets direct
through a national sales organization.
In a typical three-day period, an order will
be received from one of 85 regional sales
representatives; filled from inventory;
packed, invoiced and shipped; new inven¬
tory levels and manufacturing requirements
recorded; and market forecasts for in¬
dividual product lines adjusted — all on¬
line!
M-D uses a large-scale Honeywell Series
6000 and 16 CRT terminals scattered
throughout its 376,000 square-foot
facilities.
Since production, distribution, warehouse
and executive operations for 14 broad prod¬
uct lines are all handled here, rapid and ac¬
curate order processing becomes doubly
critical. Competition is mostly regional and
typically exists as either a jobber, dis¬
tributor or a small manufacturer with
limited product offerings.
Kermit Clark, vice-president of ad¬
ministration for M-D, explained that
customer service is a full-time concern of
the company. The order inventory manage¬
ment cycle starts late in the afternoon when
the regionally dispersed M-D sales person¬
nel telephone their orders into the data cen¬
ter here.
“Four operators, each using a Honeywell
30 day trial, free.
Any of the 4 DOS/RS Power Line
packages listed below will work for
you for 30 days without pay.
Judge the performance yourself.
Risk free. You’ll know just what
you’re buying in increased through¬
put and ease of operation . . .
before you spend a dime!
This offer doesn’t apply to
SIM-14TI" because it’s backed by our
unconditional satisfaction
guarantee to run your 1400 work.
DOS/RS FULL"* : If you need three
full processing partitions, and work
with a core size of at least 128k, this
merit-winning software may be the
help you’ve been looking for.
It delivers six partitions. There’s
teleprocessing support, plus a
built-in sophisticated spooler
called Power- hi .
With dos/rs full you take advan¬
tage of 370 devices like 3330 disk
drives. You enjoy new inter-partition
scheduling flexibility, and through¬
put enhancements of such features
as resident directories and transients.
A host of features are outlined in
our free twenty-page reference
manual. Send for it now.
dos/rs full is available on per- .
manent license, or monthly rental
for as low as $400.
DOS/RS BASIC III™: If you need
the super-spooling help of Power- m.
but use only two processing par¬
titions; this subset of the full sys¬
tem may be ideal for you.
It offers multi-programming en¬
hancements and inter-partition
scheduling flexibility, but you only
pay for what you need. As you add
core and devices, it’s easy to up¬
grade to the full system.
Permanent license, or monthly
rental as low as $290.
DOS/RS BASIC I™: This software
is perfect for the shop that’s run¬
ning one processing and one TP
partition on one shift, and two pro¬
cessing partitions on other shifts.
Even with limited core, it permits
you to share the efficiencies of
multi-programming and spooling.
Permanent license, or monthly
rental as low as $160.
POWER-1™: When it comes to cost
and core, this spooling software is
as miserly as they come. Yet, it’s
generous in features: supports one
or two partitions, offers early print
start and is simple to install. It’s 1
upward compatible with Power- hi .
Permanent license, or monthly
rental as low as $65.
SIM 14™executes 1400 programs
on any 360 or 370 under any operat¬
ing system. It needs no hardware
emulator features. Permanent
license, or monthly rental as low
as $500.
Write for the specifications, or call
Lou Haberbeck at (312) 671-4410
dc
dearborn computer
leasing company
hardware 360’s/370’s
systems software
brokerage
4849 n. scott st, schiller park, IL.60176 Chicago (31 2) 671 -4410 •toronto (416) 621-7060
st. louis (314) 727-7277 • houston (713) 965-0788 • detroit (313) 358-3397 • los angeles (213) 820-1097
i Gentlemen: Tell me more about i
1 □ DOS/RS FULL □ DOS/RS BASIC III □ DOS/RS BASIC I □ POWER I DSIM14 I
I NAME/TITLE _ |
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I CITY/STATE/ZIP TELEPHONE _ ! _ I
L . . . . . J
VIP 7700 terminal, receive calls from the
sales staff between 5 p.m. and midnight
weekdays and feed order information for
each account directly into the computer.
Before the salesman concludes the call, the
operator relays any messages pertaining to
previously received orders,” Clark said.
“Orders recorded by tape-answer devices
after midnight, called in during the regular
business day or mailed by customers are en¬
tered on the same terminals by the opera¬
tors before sales personnel make their eve¬
ning calls.
“Then at 7:30 the following morning, a
new team of terminal operators in our
customer service center reviews the
evening’s orders for special information, ac¬
curacy, completeness and product availabil¬
ity. Within four hours shipping tickets are
printed and sent to the packing area for
order assembly,” he explained.
Clark added that the computer arranges
the picking sequence by product type and
warehouse location.
“These calls from the field sales force
represented 60% of all orders placed, but,
more importantly, accounted for roughly
80% of our $35 million volumelast year,”
he said.
“Finished goods inventory management
and the final stages of order filling
overlap,” he continued. “Inventory is
reserved when the order is reviewed the
morning following its receipt from the sales
force; removal from inventory lists takes
place when the invoice is prepared.
“Invoices are posted to customer accounts
on the same day they are shipped,” Clark
said, “then overdue accounts are billed
twice a month, current accounts on a
monthly basis.”
Back Orders Reduced
Before the computer was installed back
orders represented a serious source of
revenue losses, the M-D vice-president ex¬
plained. “Now we fill orders at a greater
than 99% completion rate. Those unfilled
are rechecked three times a week to ensure
they move from ‘back-order’ to ‘complete’
status.
But that is only half the M-D story. “Just
as orders are controlled by the computer
until released for shipment, so too are most
inventory processes,” Clark said.
Data base control — located in the
warehouse area — uses two of the
Honeywell terminals to monitor inventory
levels, maintain current bill-of-materials,
change status of shop orders and request
product item production status. M-D also
enters into the system all raw materials
received, records movement of in-process
goods and reports finished goods as an on¬
line by-product of materials requirements
planning.
Package Manages Inventory
Honeywell’s IMS/6000, a materials
requirements planning package for
manufacturers, acts as the “driver” of in¬
ventory management, order processing and
credit programs within the Model 6025.
With this inventory management system,
a four-week current-item-demand by quan¬
tity is maintained for constant management
review. Product quantities are designated as
either available or on-hand and any
variance between the two numbers indicates
an order is in one stage of filling or another
and thus stock is reserved for that order.
IMS/6000 then “explodes” developed
supply orders through the product struc¬
ture, establishing requirements and re¬
plenishment plans for all components of the
finished item.
Through the files, management can also
get breakdowns on activity by state, dealer
or salesman. Other files indicate open
orders, shipping ticket history, daily sales,
material requirements plans and effects on
materials.
NOW...
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• VSORT: Implementation of OS sort compati¬
bility for CMS. Functions as a stand-alone util¬
ity, as support for COBOL Sort verb or callable
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Name
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zip
r
GOOD NEWS!
Is « •*«*!♦ of the ,
°f h°“ U . yo«r word pi
of applications.
Oiablo dees everything \
corves. And *-k
and tbe .or* i
- -• ..... ....
«<•» “it .......
“*"«• .
t. ... ,
superb
' inVOlCes' f»'»“las, graphs
. it car, be reproduced
emal coMunication — ‘
portSl financial
■
Another “best buy” from DDI:
Diablo’s bi-directional
45 cps HyTerm
yours for only
$139 monthly,
including maintenance
*12 month single unit rental term.
Includes forms tractor and numeric pad.
A Diablo at these prices, coupled with the
reliable total service DDI offers you, has to be
the market’s finest value. •
The HyTerm 1 620 gives you graphics ver¬
satility, printing fidelity, speed and reliability
which other terminals simply cannot match.
All KSR models have the numeric pad as a
standard feature. Diablo’s print mechanism is
the advanced HyType II daisy wheel printer
...and its output is so superb the type has
textbook quality. It prints vertically and hori¬
zontally. Speed is 45 cps — even faster when
its bi-directional printing capability is used. Its
microprocessor and few moving parts mean
low cost, trouble-free operation over long
periods.
CHOOSE FROM 3 LOW COST USER
PLANS: DDI Rental Plan, including mainte¬
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long term Lease Plan with purchase option...
and Purchase Plans. DDI also offers quantity
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After your order, we follow through. Our
solidly financed, publicly-held corporation,
with its 8-year consistent growth record, has
been built by providing our customers total
service. The service includes larger inventory
for faster delivery... nationwide maintenance
. . . professional surveys of your terminal needs
. . .experienced sales representatives you can
storage, here’s
the complete line
Techtran Data-
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of rent/
dis¬
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under the new DDI
Combination Plan.
Want more information? Write: Data Dimen¬
sions, Inc., 51 Weaver St., Greenwich, Conn.
06830. Or better yet, call (203) 661 -1 700.
Data
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Branch offices: New York City • Morris Plains, N.J. • Phila¬
delphia (Cherry Hill, N.J.) • Washington, D.C. • Atlanta •
Detroit • Los Angeles
Page 27
February 28, 1977
Gomputerworld
COMMUNICATIONS
System Software Includes DBMS
Cado Add-On Turns Dntnspeed 40-2 Into DP Device
TORRANCE, Calif. — Cado Systems
Corp. has introduced an add-on system
which it said turns the nonintelligent, asyn¬
chronous Bell System Dataspeed 40 Model
2 CRT terminal into a binary synchronous
communications device for DP users.
The Cado add-on processing/communi¬
cations system consists of a microprocessor,
memory, the communiations capabilities
and dual double-density floppy diskette
drive, according to the firm.
When combined with a Cado-supplied
Model 40-2 CRT and printer from Teletype
Corp., the small-business computer/trans-
action terminal is called the- Cado System
40. It has more processing power than the
IBM System 32, Univac DC-7 or Bur¬
roughs Corp. B-80, but at a lower cost, a
Faced With 800 % Monthly Hike
Cado spokesman claimed.
The add-on system can also be used with
an already installed Dataspeed 40-2, he
noted.
Processing power for the system comes
from an Intel microprocessor, 2K bytes of
read-only memory, 3K bytes of random-
access memory and up to six diskettes con¬
taining an equivalent of 10M bytes of file
space.
Distributed Processing
IBM’s Horizontal Format Control and
Vertical Forms Control are supported by
the Cado system for remote print applica¬
tions on the AT&T Model 40, an
80-column, 300 line/min impact printer
which is also available in a 132-column con¬
figuration, the spokesman said.
Because of this, existing Dataspeed users
can upgrade their message terminals to full¬
blown distributed processors, he stated.
The Cado System 40 features an ability to
look like any IBM batch processing termi¬
nal when sending or receiving data and an
ability to communicate in binary syn¬
chronous mode at switch-selectable rates
from 150- to 9,600 bit/sec on the basically
asynchronous Dataspeed, he noted.
In addition, the system offers full trans¬
mission logging capabilities for line
monitoring, he added.
The terminal/processor system has a data
base management system (DBMS) provid¬
ing three times the efficiency of other
User Finds T/S Cost Solution in Dedicoted Lines
By John P. Hebert
Of the CW Staff
LA MESA, Calif. — School district of¬
ficials here found an alternative to dial-up
data communications before the state
changed billing methods increasing the
district’s monthly time-sharing phone bill
by about 800%.
When California went to the Single
Message Rate Timing (SMRT) billing
method last July, the administrative staff
and 22,000 students at the Grossmont
Union High School District’s nine high
schools were already crowded on the dial¬
up time-sharing arrangement which ac¬
cessed a Digital Equipment Corp. Decsys-
tem-10 and Hewlett-Packard Co. 2000F
CPU.
Under the SMRT tariff, dial-up local and
cross-exchange calls are measured and
billed according to their duration.
If the district had continued with the
SMRT-affected lines, the students and staff
would have used up all of the allowed five-
minute message units in the first 10 days of
each month for instructional and adminis¬
trative processing, according to Dr. Robert
Otto, systems superintendent.
It ;would have cost the district a penny a
minute for time-sharing from each of its 100
terminals beyond the monthly allowance of
80 message units in addition to a $7. 50/mo
basic service charge, Otto said.
This change would have increased the
district’s monthly phone bill from $8,000 to
$64,000 or more, he estimated.
School district officials were determined
to get out of the box in which the phone
company had put them — without turning
to phone company resources,” Otto said.
An investigation of the problem showed
installing leased lines for each terminal
would overrun the available CPU ports and
be financially prohibitive on the one-to-one
basis for five schools in a different tele¬
phone exchange, even if ports were
available.
The charges for each leased line across the
phone exchanges to the DP center here are
$33/mo. In addition, the school system did
not have its own Centrex billing system to
use for the DP application, Otto noted.
Interim Solution
As an interim solution to the problem,
Grossmont officials moved the two CPUs
to one location to eliminate the necessity of
separate lines to each and added an In-
fotron Timeline 450 computer port selector.
An automatic computer select feature
allows the student and staff users to select
the desired CPU from their terminal
keyboard, Otto said.
They also removed about 63 dial-up lines
and installed a total of 40 half- and full-
duplex dedicated lines to and between
schools in the local La Mesa and remote El
Cahon Valley phone exchanges respec¬
tively, according to Dick Smith, director of
data systems.
The cross-exchange synchronous lines
operate at 2,400 bit/sec. Five dial-up lines
were left in place to act as backup facilities
for the time-sharing users and as main lines
for extraneous services. Smith said.
At each of the five schools served by the
remote exchange, Infotron Timeline 180
time-division multiplexers (TDM) were in¬
stalled. These transmit on a one-to-one
basis with another five Timeline 180s at the
district office’s central DP site.
The TDMs each concentrate up to 12 100-
or 300 bit/sec terminals on one dedicated
line. At the remote schools, the multiplexers
transmit data to a Bell 203 modem and then
through the leased lines to another Bell
modem, a TDM and the port selector
located at the DP site.
The school district’s terminals include
Teletype Corp., DEC Decwriters, Infoton,
* ( Continued on Page 28 )
systems because of the dual double-density
diskettes combined with a data packing
compression technique, he claimed.
The DBMS methods also include
variable-length records, binary code pack¬
ing and no sector constraints, giving the
System 40’s diskettes a storage capacity
equivalent to that of a 3M-byte IBM-
formatted system, he continued.
The random nature of files increases the
speed of data retrieval and reduces the wear
associated with diskette systems utilizing
address tracks, the spokesman noted.
A full range of applications can be user-
programmed on the terminal system, the
company said, adding it provides an assort¬
ment of utilities including source manage¬
ment, a source editor, a Cado compiler and
diskette copy as well as file functions, termi¬
nal emulators and monitors and com¬
munications conversion.
The Cado add-on with communications
capabilities and two dual double-density
diskette drives for existing Bell System
Dataspeed 40 Model 2 or Teletype Corp.
Model 40 installations costs $7,995.
The Cado System 40 with a purchase-only
Model 40 and an 80- or 132-column, 300
line/min impact printer costs approx¬
imately $18,000, about half the cost of a
comparable IBM System 32, according to
the spokesman.
Maintenance for the Cado System 40
costs $ 100/mo from the company.
Maintenance can also be provided by
Teletype Corp. for the entire Cado System
40 depending on the user’s location, he
noted.
A spokesman for Teletype Corp. pointed
out, however, Teletype will only replace
defective equipment in the Cado add-on
portion of the system down to the card
level, but will not repair any of the Cado
system components.
Cado Systems can be reached at P.O. Box
5126, Torrance, Calif. 90503.
Van Deerlin Keynoting DataComm
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Lionel
Van Deerlin (D-Calif.) will discuss the
congressional perspective on rewriting
the Communications Act of 1934 in the
keynote address at DataComm 77 here
March 9-11.
The conference and exposition will
feature 130 speakers at more than 50
sessions and workshops covering topics
ranging from data communications ap¬
plications and network types to debates
on current issues.
A display of current equipment and
services will also be featured.
More information on DataComm 77
can be obtained from DataComm User,
the conference’s sponsor, at 60 Austin
St., Newton, Mass. 02160.
Page 28
COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
Terminal Users Seen Moving Away From Mainfrumers
By Ronald A. Frank
Of the CW Staff
WLLLLSLLY HILLS, Mass. — “About
50% of our users are taking their first hesi¬
tant steps away from IBM or some other
mainframe vendor" and typically are think¬
ing about local processing on remote termi¬
nal systems, according to M.R. Clement,
vice-president for corporate business and
product planning at Incoterm Corp.
Being a company that supplies only termi¬
nal systems, Incoterm concentrates on giv¬
ing the user more specialized support than
he is able to get from his more general-
purpose mainframe vendor, Clement said.
Rather than just providing iron which the
customer then has to fit to the application,
Incoterm wants to find a systems solution
for the user, he said.
It is not always easy to understand the
user’s problem, Clement continued. Often
the user will contact the company and ask
about a specific type of terminal. This
customer may think he needs one type of
device when actually a different piece of ter¬
minal equipment would suit him better.
But until industry specialists work with
the user they will not recommend which
system will best fit the customer’s needs,
Clement said.
No Magic Today
The Incoterm officer said there is nothing
magic in today's terminal equipment.
Whereas several years ago users were not
sure what an intelligent terminal was, now
they have come to accept the term, he said.
But the equipment is only as good as the
application software and systems support
that is provided to make it work. Many In¬
coterm users are in industries which require
special software, and about 50% are ac¬
tually considering the acquisition of their
second generation of terminal systems, he
said.
This type of customer should not have to
develop an in-house staff of teleprocessing
experts if he doesn’t want to, Clement
stated.
“We have got to stop selling bells and
whistles to the customer. Instead we have to
provide the user with complete solutions.
We are in the appliance trade providing
systems that plug into a big CPU in the
wall,’’ he said.
And Incoterm terminals have been in¬
terfaced to most major types of mainframes
such as IBM, Univac, Honeywell and
others, Clement noted. In addition, the
systems operate under a full spectrum of
protocols including binary synchronous
and Synchronous Data Link Control disci¬
plines, he said.
Although the company provides complete
support, there is no attempt to lock in the
user, Clement stressed. Many customers
eventually want to reprogram their own ter¬
minal systems as upgrades become neces¬
sary.
In such cases. Incoterm encourages atten¬
dance by users at Incoterm training sessions
so that the customer can develop his own
software expertise, he noted.
Distributed DP Limited
Despite all the talk about distributed DP,
Clement feels the concept has limitations.
Specifically, he frowns on downline loading
from a central site.
The user must be willing to give remote
sites control of their installations because
downline loading is an inefficient use of
communications lines, he said. In addition,
if management is determined to retain cen¬
tral DP control, it may indicate a manage¬
ment problem.
But data bases can exist in several places,
and this type of system is growing, he said.
Many terminal systems such as Incoterm’s
now provide *as much as 40M bytes of
storage at remote intelligent terminal
system sites.
Back for Storage
And noncrucial information can always
be transmitted back to the central DP cen¬
ter for storage in the company’s mainframe,
he said.
For the future, Clement sees voice input
and voice answerback as features that will
evolve into terminal systems.
“But the keyboard will continue to be
with us for the entry of large amounts of
data into the system,” he said.
Dedicated Lines Solve
T/S Cost Problem
(Continued from Page 27)
Inc. CRTs and a “few other hybrids” all
operating between 110- and 300 bit/ sec;
and card readers and one plotter, Otto said.
Terminals located at the four schools
within the local phone exchange transmit
through acoustic couplers and the leased
line to the DP center, where the messages
are handled by either Vadic Corp. or Ionex
modems for the 450 port selector.
The acoustic couplers and modems were
converted for operation on the half-duplex
leased line by restrapping them, Otto said.
In addition, 30 Teletypes were converted to
meet EIA specifications for the lines at a
total cost of about $1,700, he noted.
Supermuxes Later
An added benefit of the leased
line/multiplexer configuration is the provi¬
sion to upgrade the TDMs to be Infotron
780 Supermuxes in the future, allowing the
district to add terminals to the system
without buying additional acoustic couplers
and modems for each at five schools or the
district offices, Otto and Smith agreed.
This will mean savings of about $1,200 for
each added terminal, Otto estimated.
Otto looks at the new configuration as a
series of trade-offs on equipment and co^s.
“We’re really standing still because we have
not increased our capabilities. But it has
been a nice solution to the problem because
it helps meet the district’s needs over the
next three years,” he said.
32 More Terminals
The schooT district now has the ability to
expand the time-sharing system by another
32 or more terminals, he explained.
The Infotron equipment was selected over,
other vendors’ TDMs because it best met
the district’s specifications and price con¬
straints, he said, adding it cost about
$ 100, 000 v
The new network configuration was
operational last September, helping the dis¬
trict avoid the heavy costs associated with
the previous dial-up configuration under
the SMRT tariff by the beginning of the
school year, Otto said.
Infotron was very helpful in the system
implementation and, although there were a
few problems with some of the TDM
boards, they were readily fixed, he said.
TEC, Incorporated
has just lowered the price
of high performance.
Add it up for yourself. You
now pay less for our
Tele-Tec™ 1440 and 1445,
with all the versatility and
high level of performance for
which they’re famous. You
pay less. ..and you get more.
We’ve expanded the
exceptional list of standard
features and we’ve even
reduced the low cost of all
the productive options.
It’s just what you’d expect
from the manufacturer of the
first commercial CRT terminal.
A better product at a lower
price.
Just add it up.
Tele-Tec 1440
Standard features:
□ 12" diagonal screen
□ 80 x 24 format, 1920 screen
capacity
□ full and half duplex models
□ RS-232-C, 20 & 60 mA
current loop and TTL
interfaces
□ auxiliary I/O connector
□ baud rates 50-9600
□ P4 phosphor, bonded
etched screen
Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F. Committed
to affirmative action,
a TEC, Incorporated corporate policy.
□ bottom line entry
□ automatic roll up
□ detachable keyboard
Options:
□ extended numeric keyboard
□ composite video output
□ rack mount for 19"
RETMA rack
□ green P31 phosphor tube
□ ’Classic’ style shroud
□ walnut or white vinyl finish
□ direct cursor addressing
□ automatic line feed on
carriage return, switch
selectable
□ auxiliary I/O connector
Options:
□ all the options of the 1440
plus
□ upper and lower case
characters
□ switch selectable monitor
mode (standard with upper
and lower case option)
permits display of control
codes
□ 40-character x 24-line
display
Tele-Tec 1445
Standard features:
□ all the features of the 1440
plus
□ keyboard cursor controls
TEC, Incorporated
Stability /Age/Beauty
2727 N. Fairview Ave.
Tucson, Arizona 85705 U.S.A.
(602) 792-2230
TWX 91 0-952-1 377
TEC, Incorporated, 2727 N. Fairview Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85705 U.S.A.
I’ve added it up and I'm interested.
Please send literature
call me
arrange riemnnstratinn
Name
Title
Comoanv
’ Phone
Address
City
State
Zip
ipi :
•'I' ’■* ' •*
'//'•vC; .%>'?? 'vW>
The same thing is true
A lot of companies have found out
the hard way that trying to use bargain-
priced, uncertified computer tapes on
today’s high-density drives is no bargain
after all. Sooner or later, the masking done
with the GCR format will catch up with
you. Ask your Graham product technology
man to explain.
That’s why Epoch 4 is so important in
an upgrade. For just 6<J a month per reel
you get tape that’s certified error-free.
If you’re getting into high-density
equipment, better get Epoch 4.
graham
MAGNETICS
Graham, Texas 76046
Page 30
February 28, 1977
WU Data Adds Ansi X3.28 Buffer to Model 33
MAHWAH, N.J. — A microprocessor-
controlled cassette buffer programmed for
American National Standards Institute
(Ansi) protocol is being offered by Western
Union (WU) Data Services Co. with its
Model 33 teleprinters.
Equipped with the buffer, the company's
Model 33 can operate at 1,200 bit/sec on
dial-up lines. This configuration, called the
MSR 3141, reportedly provides users with
the error-detection and correction advan¬
tages of the Ansi X3.28 protocol procedure.
The buffer writes, reads, rewinds and
HUDSON, Mass. — Datatrol, Inc. has
enhanced its FT-32 financial transaction
terminal with a terminal encryption module
and receipt printer controlled by a newly in¬
troduced software system.
An FT-32 with the Terminal Operation
Personality Specifier (Tops) software allows
a bank, for example, to define the sequence
of steps for each transaction, handle error
checking, define input sources, specify op-
Terminal
Transactions
erator access, display the host CPU’s multi¬
ple responses and define the proper level of
data privacy, a company spokesman ex¬
plained.
To achieve this privacy, the data encryp¬
tion system is controlled at the terminal
level by the encryption module, unlike
other electronic funds transfer (EFT)
systems, the spokesman claimed.
Text characters may be encrypted at any
terminal by adding an optional module
operating under control of Tops, which is
said to be a high-level programming lan¬
guage based on read-only memory that
allows a downline load from the host
system to FT-32s.
Some of the advantages Tops offers are
reduced start-up and operator transaction
time. Changes are handled by transmitting
on-line a personality load change to the ap¬
propriate terminals, the spokesman said.
The RP-32 receipt printer contains a serial
impact mechanism with a dot-matrix
format to print alphanumerics under in¬
dependent control on single or multipart
bank transaction documents, he said.
Two form-insert detectors provide out¬
puts that indicate a document has been in¬
serted and is ready for printing. The RP-32
prints up to 3-1/2 in. at 129 char. /sec, he
said.
The RP-32 receipt printer costs $800 and
each terminal encryption module costs $25,
Tektronix Links 2741
To Its Graphics CRTs
BEAVERTON, Ore. — A terminal in¬
terface from Tektronix, Inc. allows users of
IBM 2741s or 2741 -compatible terminals
and CPUs to link the devices with
Tektronix graphics CRTs.
The 2741 Correspondence Code Interface
has the Enhanced Graphics Module sup¬
port of the Tektronix 4014 and 4015
graphics terminals and can be installed
without modification, the company
claimed.
The interface also is said to provide com¬
patibility with the Tektronix 4012 and 4013
graphics CRTs.
The interface features interactive system
parameter definition, type-ahead and host
output buffering. It handles communica¬
tions at speeds up to 9,600 bit/sec in half-
or full-duplex modes and is compatible with
all Tektronix Plot 10 software products in
APL and Fortran, the firm said.
The price of the interface is $1,295; an ad¬
ditional 2K of host output buffer memory
is also available, according to the company
at P.O. Box 500, Beaverton, Ore. 97077.
performs limited editing under microproc¬
essor control from plain English com¬
mands, according to the firm.
In the Ansi protocol, messages are auto¬
matically segmented by the buffer into
blocks of 256 or fewer characters, with each
block assigned a number sequentially for
detection of missing blocks, a Data Services
spokesman noted.
During block transmission, the unit re¬
portedly detects all first-level errors and,
when an error is detected, the data block is
automatically retransmitted. A block-check
bringing the cost of an FT-32 with the Tops
software, the encryption module, printer, a
personal identification number pad, card
reader and modem to $1,825, Datatrol said
from Kane Industrial Drive, Hudson,
Mass. 01749.
character determines whether a block has
been received correctly, he said.
In addition, self-testing of the
microprocessor’s memory and basic func¬
tions can be initiated by an operator com¬
mand, facilitating terminal or line problem
isolation, he claimed. *'■ . ^
MSR 3141
The MSR 3141 allows the 110- bit/sec
Model 33 to communicate in the 1,200
bit/sec Ansi protocol environment since the
microprocessor provides internal buffering
capability, the company stated.
As a result, the configuration offers low-
speed off7line printing coupled with on-line
communications capability; data or
messages can be prepared off-line for batch
transmission, the spokesman added.
The buffer can be used in a variety of ter¬
minal configurations or transmission
networks, the firm claimed. It uses cassettes
with a storage capacity greater than 50K
characters, the company noted.
The basic price for the MSR 3141, which
includes the micro-controlled cassette
buffer, a Model 33 automatic send/receive
teleprinter and a 1,200 bit/sec-type modem,
is $200/mo including maintenance.
Deliveries will be in the third or fourth
quarter, WU Data Services said from 70
McKee Drive, Mahwah, N.J. 07430.
Remote/Data Terminals
Stand-Alone Single Terminal Systems 600/20
Multi-Terminal Business Systems 600/30, 600/50
Source Data
By ENTREX...
Entrex offers you an alternative to the
rising costs and workloads experienced
with today’s centralized data processing
facilities
The Alternative — The Entrex 600 Series. A
compatible family of minicomputer-based
systems designed to free centralized process¬
ing power, reduce communications costs, pro¬
vide operational flexibility, and allow business
to react to today’s challenging opportunities.
Each family member is a blend of power,
state-of-the-art hardware, and field-proven
software.
600 Series hardware is modular and upward
expandable, allowing selection based on indi¬
vidual site performance requirements.
Our field-proven software provides for the tra¬
ditional data processing requirements as well
as a full range of -communications emulators.
A few of the features offered by each family
member include: file inquiry, retrieval and up¬
date capabilities, terminal and system securi¬
ty, both batch and interactive communica¬
tions, as well as Entrex’s sophisticated data
entry software.
Entrex is ready with a family of systems par¬
ticularly suited to capturing and processing
data at the source; a system alternative that
can be implemented today, yet provides for'
tomorrow’s growth; a system family that
offers the network planner total flexibility
in configuration planning.
Datatrol Enhances EFT Device
V
February 28, 1977
IHCOMPtlTERWORLD
Page 31
Editing System Uses Seledrhs
FAIRFIELD, N.J. — The Edi-Scan
communications system from Edityper
Systems Corp. reportedly allows IBM
Selectric typewriters to be used as
message stations to prepare data for
editing, verifying and transmitting.
The device incorporates an optical
character recognition (OCR) scanner, an
editing CRT and a paper tape
reader/punch, according to Edityper.
In operation, a message is typed on a
Selectric with the OCR-B typing sphere.
The hard copy is inserted in the OCR
device, read and-viewed on the CRT
editor unit, the company said.
Using the CRT keyboard, any addi¬
tions, deletions or corrections are made
and the final text on the screen is
verified, a spokesman explained.
The text is then transmitted via the
CRT’s communications channel to a
computer for subsequent transmission
or is punched on paper tape for insertion
into a Telex or TWX unit for transmis¬
sion, he said.
Hard-copy output is available as an
option. In either case, no further manual
rekeying of the message is required and
once the original message has been typed
on the Selectric, the entire operation can
be completed in only a few minutes, the
company claimed.
For incoming messages, paper tape can
be inserted into the tape reader and the
message can then be viewed on the CRT.
Media other -than or in addition to
paper tape is available, including IBM
magnetic cards, IBM cartridges, floppy
disks, cassettes and printers, he said.
The Edi-Scan system with OCR-B
scanner, CRT editing station and paper
tape reader/punch costs $25,000 and can
“read," correct and transmit messages
for any number of IBM Selectrics.
Edityper is located at 26 Just Road,
Fairfield, N.J. 07006.
Memorex Enhances 1377 CRT
For Compatibility With IBM 3
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Memorex
Corp. has an enhanced version of its 1377
CRT station that reportedly offers compati¬
bility with IBM 3 CPUs, improved charac¬
ter size, an enlarged cursor and a greater
range of keyboards.
The 1377 Model 4 consists of a detachable
keyboard and high-performance CRT,
Memorex said.
Designed as a cost-effective replacement
for the IBM 3277-2, the 1377-4 can enter
and display alphanumeric data to IBM 3,
360 or 370 CPUs or to the IBM 3790 com¬
munications system, according to the firm.
Unlike the 3277-2, the Memorex terminal
features a tiltable CRT, larger cursor line
and column location and the special
keyboards, a Memorex spokesman noted.
The 1377-4 attaches through the IBM ter¬
minal controller, which allows the user to
■■■I
cessing Systems
.
he Economic Alternative
D IMPLEMENTATION
Series can be imple-
on an evolutionary and
iular basis. Configurations
from 1 ) remote Data/
connected via data-
ies, through 2) stand-
lie terminal systems, to
r, multi-terminal, multi¬
business systems. An ex¬
list of peripherals is also
le to choose from.
i, since all family members use
cal software, networks will
quickly and cost-effectively
tlished.
JNICATIONS
■XIBILITY
In addition to our asynchronous
remote terminal capability, the
600 Series provides two distinct
communications facilities concur¬
rent with multi-terminal opera¬
tions:
Batch Oriented (2780, 3780
3741, etc.)
Entrex’s Data/Comm package
allows 600 Series processors to
communicate with each other or
with other mainframes.
Transaction Oriented
Each terminal, whether local or
remote, can function as a plug-
compatible IBM 3271/3277 com¬
bination, orTas a stand-alone IBM
3275. This allows direct interac¬
tion with an IBM 370 or similar
mainframe.
CENTRALIZED CONTROL
Centralized control is a critical
element in network planning. The
unique data management features
offered by the 600 Series provide
complete central control of all
data processing operations, if
required; local control if your
company is totally decentralized;
or the ability to establish controls
based on key programs, files and
data. Information security is
achieved via a sophisticated secu¬
rity system which integrates pass¬
word keys, hardware terminal
addresses, and programmed access
restrictions.
OPERATIONAL SIMPLICITY
With minimal training, non¬
technical personnel can imple¬
ment data processing applications
that guarantee virtually error-
Entrex’s nationwide software, training, and maintenance support organi¬
zations are ready to serve. For complete details on the 600 Series and the
address of your local Entrex representative, write today. Attn: Marketing
Services, 168 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, MA 01803, 617/273-0480
free input. Our Editor language,
a straightforward COBOL-like lan¬
guage, dramatically reduces the
lengthy process of report defini¬
tion, design, programming and
debugging. Additionally, the 600
Series provides a wide variety of
flexible utility programs to further
simplify the process of informa¬
tion utilization.
The powerful operating system
fully manages all aspects of vir¬
tual memory allocation, applica¬
tion program relocatability and
shareability, and simultaneous
data base access. Application pro¬
grammers are therefore free to
concentrate on rapid implementa¬
tion of the application at hand.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Whether you’re replacing first gen¬
eration remote job entry terminals
or data entry devices, or designing
a network of processors for the
1980’s, Entrex has a system alter¬
native with the price/performance
characteristics you require. Let us
demonstrate the Entrex approach
to Source Data Processing.
wtrb|»
Source Data Processing11
'Trademark Entrex, Inc, 1976
easily upgrade to the device or to intermix
both vendors’ terminals, he said.
The CRT screen can be located up to 2 ft
from the keyboard and displays 1,920, 7 by
8 dot matrix characters in an 80 char. /line
by 24-line format, with an additional line
Termina
Transactions
used for indication of system control, he
noted.
An upper case 98-character keyboard set
is standard and an optional upper/lower
case set is available with below-line display
of appropriate characters, the company
said.
Features which reduce operator fatigue
are the 7 by 8 dot matrix, allowing optimum
spacing between lines, and an enhanced
refresh cycle feature, which refreshes the
screen 20% more than IBM’s terminal to
eliminate screen flicker, Memorex claimed.
Keyboards available include a 78-key op¬
erator console, a 66-key Ebcdic typewriter
stle and a 66-key Ebcdic data entry
keyboard, Memorex said.
In addition, 12 program function keys are
available for application program changes;
and 78-key typewriter-format and foreign
language keyboards complete the options,
it said.
The basic 1377-4 costs $3,400 to buy,
$1 10/mo on a one-year extended term plan
or $90/mo on a two-year lease plan.
Memorex is* located at San Tomas at Cen¬
tral Expressway, Santa Clara, Calif. 95052.
Dataroyal Teleprinter
Extends IPS-7 Line
HUDSON, N.H. — Dataroyal, Inc. has
added a data input station to its IPS-7 series
of programmable printing terminals to
form the IPS-7/KD printing and com¬
munications system.
The IPS-7/KD can be dedicated to
materials-handling applications and can be
reconfigured to conform with changing ap¬
plications requirements, Dataroyal said.
The printing system combines a compact
data input station with a 120 char./sec
printer configured around a programmable
microprocessor, according to the firm.
The data input station consists of a gas
discharge display and a 64-character Ascii-
compatible keyboard. Linked to the printer
system via a 5-ft cable, the input station
permits users to communicate directly with
a host CPU, accessing data via the
keyboard or receiving operator messages on
the display.
The system can operate in a stand-alone
mode in local or remote mode within an on¬
line system.
The microcomputer at the heart of the
IPS-7 can generate variable-size characters
down to 1/9 in., expandable in 1/9-in. in¬
crements up to several inches high.
On competing products, the generation of
variable-size characters requires significant
overhead for the host computer, according
to a Dataroyal spokesman.
The IPS-7 employs double input and out¬
put buffering as a standard feature. Double
buffering can increase printer throughput
by up to 50% when used in a serial com¬
munications mode, he said.
In its basic configuration, the IPS-7/KD
includes the microcomputer with eight I/O
registers and 10,000 bytes of semiconductor
memory; the 32-character gas discharge dis¬
play and keyboard; and either RS-232 or 20
mA current-loop interface.
The system is priced at $8,250, with
volume discounts available, according to
Dataroyal at 235 Main Dunstable Road,
Nashua, N.H. 03060.
Ask
CONTROL DATA to
Monolithic Memory
get reliability you c<
How reliable is Control Data Monolithic Mem¬
ory? Reliable enough for 15 U.S. banks to use
it for critical financial processing with their
IBM 370-158’s!
And so reliable, more than 320 other U.S. firms
bank on it for their 370-135’s through 168’s.
We’ve installed more than 450 Monolithic
Memories already to help IBM-370 users cut
processing costs. And our users are our best
proof that CDC Monolithic Memories work.
If you’d like to talk to some of these users,
just ask our Peripherals Representative. He’ll
supply references! He’ll also point out other
key reasons for choosing ^
our Monolithic Memory:
Stability. We’re not a one-product
company. We’ve been around a long
time, and we’ll be around for a long time
to come.
Single-source responsibility. We can provide
plug-compatible, cost-effective CDC disk
memory, mass storage, and other peripherals.
You place total responsibility in a single
vendor.
If you want 370 memory capacity at half the
price or double the capacity at the same price
... if you want tdliYe $40K to more than $500K
...ask us about CDC Monolithic Memory.
And ask us about the users who have proved
it works. Call your local Control Data Market¬
ing Office or mail the coupon today.
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Mr. James Kuntuzos, Sales Manager, Peripheral Product Sales, Control Data Corporation,
P.O. Box 1980, Twin Cities Airport, St. Paul, MN 55111. Dept. CW-2287
Please have a Control Data Marketing Representative supply further information about
your Monolithic Memory.
Name
Title
Comnanv
Area Code
Phnnp
Address _
City
State
Zip
Ask Our Peripherals People
C\ CONTRpL DATA
VS CS CORPORATION
I
Page 33
February 28, 1977
Computerworld
SYSTEMS&PERIPHERALS
IBM Users Experiencing Gains With Amdahl 470
• More Cost-Effective Than 168 •Runs Jobs Faster Than 195
By Mai Stiefel
Special to Computerworld
STAMFORD, Conn. — Time-sharing
vendor National CSS, Inc.’s (NCSS) Am¬
dahl Corp. 470V/6 is “80% more cost-
effective" than the IBM 370/168, according
to company vice-president Michael Field.
The throughput of the 470 measured by a
benchmark is 50% greater than that of the
168, but the 470 is 20% less expensive, field
said.
NCSS purchased the 370 for its East
Coast operation last May to replace an
IBM 370/158 after ruling out an additional
158 or a 168, Field explained.
The 470 was selected after some delibera*
tion because NCSS was concerned about
the long-term viability of Amdahl. The 470
was the clear choice from the
price/performance standpoint and it
satisfied NCSS’ stringent reliability require¬
ments, but the company took “a calculated
risk" in going with the Amdahl machine,
Field said.
Doubts about Amdahl’s survivability
have since been disspelled, he added.
Early Acceptance
The 470V/6, ordered last March, was
delivered on May 1 for a 45-day acceptance
testing period. But it looked so good in tests
that NCSS accepted the machine and
placed it in production after only 30 days,
Field recalled.
Later in 1976, NCSS moved to replace
three 360/67s in its Sunnyvale, Calif.,
operation. Field seriously considered
recommending purchase of another 470 to
NCSS’ board of directors because of its per¬
formance Characteristics. But the company
wanted to lease, not buy. It is NCSS’ policy
to keep about one-third of its productive
capacity on equipment leased for relatively
short terms, to allow it to act when new
equipment is introduced by the manufac¬
turers, he explained.
Since no lease plan was available from
Amdahl at that time, NCSS decided in
favor of an IBM 370/168, which was
delivered Aug. 1 .
The benchmarks were run on the 158, 168
and 470 to normalize job costs so the user
would be charged the same amount for a
run no matter which processor was used to
execute it.
An early benchmark yielded a 1.6:1 per¬
formance advantage for the 470 over the
168. When a later version was run, a 1.51:1
ratio was measured.
The benchmarks were designed to
simulate a typical mix of computer-bound
and I/O-bound jobs. The results reflected a
certain level of I/O channel activity as well
as internal CPU operations.
In addition to benchmarking, NCSS con¬
tinuously monitors each machine’s perfor¬
mance with a software tool it developed in-
house to uncover potential problems before
customers begin to complain about de¬
graded response time.
CPU activity, I/O activity and paging ac¬
tivity are accumulated continuously; at six-
minute intervals, the parameters are re¬
corded and the accumulators are cleared.
Outputs are a series of graphs showing the
parameter values as functions of time.
The performance tool, which adds little to
system overhead, indicates the vendor's 470
and two 168s are running at about 60% of
capacity.
The 470 handles up to 180 simultaneous
users, the figures show. Field expects it will
be able to simultaneously serve 350 users
before any degradation in performance is
detected.
As many as 280 users have been assigned
to the 168 before the graphs indicated un¬
satisfactory response time.
The internal, “somewhat heuristic” job¬
scheduling algorithm dynamically adapts
itself to user load shifts during the day. The
schedule changes queue sizes and alters
(Continued on Page 34)
By Don Leavitt
Of the CW Staff
ARGONNE, 111. — The Amdahl Corp.
470V/6 compares favorablly to the IBM
370/195 for certain classes of work, accord¬
ing to benchmarks conducted last year at
the Applied Mathematics Division (AMD)
of Argonne National Laboratory here.
The Amdahl machine was, for example,
10% to 20% faster at running the Asym¬
metric Multiprocessing System (ASP), com¬
pilers and the Linkage Editor, a recent
report of the experiment said.
Higher CPU utilization and shorter run¬
time for the model jobstream on the Am¬
dahl were attributed partially to that
machine's ability to run the operating
system — a slightly modified version of
IBM's OS/M VT 21.7 — faster than the
Model 195, the report explained.
Published by the National Technical In¬
formation Service (NTIS), the report noted
the 195 was faster, on the average, at run¬
ning GO steps, “which appears to be due
almost entirely to the 195's high-
performance, double-precision floating¬
point” capabilities.
Programs using little or no floating point
or only single precision ran faster “or only
marginally slower” on Amdahl, the authors
said. For double precision, however, ap¬
plication code typically ran 20% to 80%
faster and tuned “kernels” or test routines
up to 400% faster on the 195, they added.
Finally, they commented that the absence
of a “loop mode" on the Amdahl CPU
"seemed adequately compensated for” by
its faster cache memory access time.
Two Questions
The experiment that produced these
results was run at AMD here and at
Amdahl's headquarters in California in
1975. AMD was planning a computer
acquisition and wanted to check two things
in particular:
• Would the Amdahl 470V/6 run the
division's heavily modified operating
systems and jobs with reliability, accuracy
and ease?
• How fast was the Amdahl compared
with the division’s 370/195?
AMD’s production version of OS/MVT
21.7 was modified slightly to run on the
470V/6, the project team reported. Parts of
the I/O Supervisor were changed to include
the devices on the Amdahl and several
modules supplied by Amdahl for such
things as recovery management and
machine and channel check handling were
added.
The initialization deck for ASP 3.1 was
modified to match the different hardware
configuration on the 470V/6 and a similar
stripped-down configuration on the
division’s 195.. No changes were made to
AMD's production version of ASP; it ran
on the 470 just as it ran on the 195, the
report said.
A benchmark library first put together in
1971 was reactivated and new parts were
added to it for this experiment. For the two
model jobstreams, all of the jobs were read
into the ASP queue, a software monitor was
started and the jobs were allowed to run.
Both machines had 4M bytes of memory.
Four initiators were started in the top 800K.
for express-class jobs and six initiators were
started in 220M of memory for the bigger
jobs. The rest of memory was used for ASP
and the operating system, the report said.
The time to run a jobstream was defined
as beginning when jobs were allowed to
start running and ending when the last job
was completed. As soon as the last job en¬
ded, the monitor was stopped.
When the SYSMSG files were completed,
ASP was terminated to get the CPU time
used by the run as measured by the System
Measurement Facilities (SMF).
The monitor outputs were later compared
to check for any significant differences in
(Continued on Page 34)
The Amdahl Corp. 470V/6
u Get the Best Compact Terminals
mCDI Because That’s All lAle Make.
.
’
When it comes to compact printing terminals, we only know how to make the best.
The MINITERM family!
We put extra design and engineering effort, plus the highest quality materials
into our products so you get the most out of them.
You get more features and more quality in every CDI model. It all starts
with the Q-3 thermal printer for OEM’s, heart of the MINITERM family, fol¬
lowed by the MINITERM 1201 Receive-Only terminal, then the MINITERM
1202 Desk-top terminal and the MINITERM 1203 timesharing
portable with acoustic coupler and exclusive three-way keyboard.
The most features, highest reliability, greatest versatility per dollar;
that’s the only way to make the best terminals in a compact package.
Get them all — and only — from CDI. Call or write today for the CDI
office nearest you.
MINITERM 0-3
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MINITERM
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MINITERI
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25 North Avenue
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(617)273-1550
SALES AND MAINTENANCE OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE US AND CANADA
_
Page 34
KCOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
ITC Adds Recording Media
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Information
Terminals Corp. (ITC) has introduced a
recording media for removable magnetic
data storage, disks, cards and tape.
Verbatim media is used on ITC’s floppy
disks, magnetic cards, computer cartridges
and digital tape cassettes. Additional offer¬
ings include a miniature data cassette and a
5.25-in. microdiskette.
For IBM-compatible products, ITC's
Verbatim line is generally lower in price
than IBM, the spokesman claimed.
All Verbatim products are available
March 1, he said from 323 Soquel Way,
Sunnyvale, Calif. 94086.
ADI Offers Intelligent Printer
SEBASTOPOL, Calif. — An intelligent
systems printer for varied data-recording
applications has been announced by
Automation Designs, Inc. (ADI) here.
The print speed is 1.25 line/sec at 40
alphanumeric characters 3-1/3 in. /line. The
printer has a two-copy capability with op¬
tional automatic take-up for duplicate
copy. The character height is .122 in.
User-definable program options include
printed format and interface variations,
alarm set-points, engineering computations
and other possibilites.
Hardware options consist of display,
keyboard, clock/calendar/timer and data
memory with battery backup.
The I/O interface options include RS-
232C, IEEE 488, and Ascii for ASR-33
teletype or other compatible devices.
The standard input bus is character- and
bit-parallel.
End-user prices begin at $1,125, the firm
said from P.O. Box 281, Sebastopol, Calif.
95472. -
PDP-11 / 34 Processor Upgrades
DEC Graphics Terminal System
MAYNARD, Mass. — Digital Equip¬
ment Corp. has upgraded its GT62 graphics
terminal system by replacing its PDP-1 1/10
processor with a PDP-1 1/34.
The refreshed vector display system is typ¬
ically used for interactive computer-aided
design applications, according to a DEC
spokesman. It can be used as a satellite
graphics terminal to either a larger DEC
processor or to another host CPU, the firm
added.
The GT62’s 11/34 processor has 16K
words of MOS memory, read-only memory
bootstrap and real-time .dock. A dual
floppy disk unit is provided for diagnostics
as well as stand-alone operation, the
spokesman noted.
The GT62 is supported by Decgraphic-1 1
software under both the RSX-1 1 and RT-1 1
operating systems. The VS60 graphics dis¬
Sex: [¥] [T~l
Age Group:
nr®
rrsN
Category: I Respiratory
Upper
L
Limb-Muscular
iigestive
Touch >
•:v,
Let Your Fingers Do The Talking
With a MEGADATA Touch Screen Terminal
You don't have to be a computer expert to operate MEGADATA's Touch Screen
Terminal. Sure it has to be programmed ... but operations can be performed by
completely untrained personnel. Just put your finger on one of the 240 touch
areas or "pads," and the desired data is accessed immediately.
Designed for stand-alone and batch-mode operation, the 700/TS— coupled with
appropriate storage and printer peripherals— provides a new dimension in man-
machine interaction.
Depending on the application, the touch screen terminal can be delivered
without a keyboard, the standard MEGADATA 700 keyboard, or. a specialized
data entry keyboard.
APPLICATIONS for the Series 700 Touch Screen System include:
•All operations where interaction occurs with untrained personnel on a question and
answer basis— Education, Medical Diagnosis, Voter Registration, Electronic Shopping
(Retail), and Bank Customer Services.
•Operations that require a highly interactive system for data entry, editing, and fast
operator action— Air Traffic Control, Tabular Displays, Education, Engineering, and
Complex Data Base Interaction (Financial and Market Trading).
• Process control operations— Utilities and Continuous-Flow Processing Industries.
The System 700/TS is just one model in the MEGADATA 700 family of applica-
tions-oriented intelligent terminals. Each 700 terminal includes a full-scale 12-bit
microprocessor, a memory capability of up to 73 K, a 15-inch diagonal display
screen, and a 126-station keyboard that includes up to 71 function keys. -
Find out more about MEGADATA's Touch Screen
Terminal and how it can work for you. AND RE¬
MEMBER— The 700/TS is just one of the many appli¬
cations oriented terminals that are manufactured by
MEGADATA. Call or write TODAY.
ME . T i AIJAI A. col,p°£"ON
35 Orville Drive • Bohemia, NewYork11716
;V‘\ :
;• T, : S!
<rA
Tel. 516-589-6800 • Telex: 14-4659
Western Regional Office
15910 V.entura Boulevard ■ Suite 800
Encino, California 91316
Tel. 213-990-9777
Hfi
.■Jfrj
play subsystem features a 21 -in. diagonal
screen with a 1.5- by 12-in. menu area.
The processor can drive two independent
CRTs, DEC said.
The $55,000 system will be available this
spring from DEC in Maynard, Mass.
01754.
Orbit Storage llait
Holds Tape Cassettes
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Project Support
Engineering, Inc. (PSE) has introduced a
storage unit for 8-track cassettes and other
magnetic tape cartridges.
The Orbit cartridge data bank system ac¬
commodates different types and shapes of
magnetic tape containers by using a vertical
filing method and varying the spacing or
height between the two halves of the unit,
the firm said.
The unit is 24-in. in diameter and it has a
50-cartridge capacity. Units are constructed
of ,06-in. styrene plastic and rotate 360
degrees on ball bearings.
The basic Orbit costs $71.95 and add-on
trays are $31.95. Delivery takes two weeks
from PSE at 750 N. Mary, Sunnyvale,*
Calif. 94086.
IBM User Finds 470
More Cost-Effective
(Continued from Page 33)
resource (e.g., I/O channel) allocations be¬
tween interactive jobs and jobs with longer
response time requirements.
Stability was designed into the routine; it
avoids responding to insignificant or short¬
lived load swings, Field said.
NCSS maintains its own operating
system. The company began in the late ’60s
by hiring part of the IBM software team
that developed the CP-67 operating system.
It acquired CP-67 and “rewrote it to make
it commercially viable,” Field said.
OS and DOS jobs can run concurrently
under CP-67, in which each user defines his
own virtual machine, including his own
virtual supervisor.
NCSS has added access methods and
other features to its system that aren’t
available under IBM’s OS.
The 16-channel, 4M-byte 470V/6 uses
Memorex 3670 and 3675 disks (replace¬
ments for IBM’s 3330 Model 1 and Model
2 disks respectively), and IBM 3420 Model
5 (1,600 bit/in.) and Model 6 (6,250 bit/in.)
tape drives.
The 470 front end includes Digital Equip¬
ment Corp. PDP-1 1/40 computers and
three Memorex 1270s.
Users in high-density traffic areas (major
cities) communicate with NCSS via a
packet-switched network. Time-division
multiplexing is used in low-density areas.
470 Runs Some Jobs
Faster Than 370/195
(Continued from Page 33)
the utilization of I/O equipment and for
overall CPU utilization of the runs, accord¬
ing to the report.
Application programs from the earlier
benchmark and a selection of heavily used,
large-scale routines from current produc¬
tion were included in the model jobstream,
as were a group of program kernels, many
"highly tuned for the 370/195,” from cur¬
rent production and others from the Naval
Research Laboratory benchmark collec¬
tion.
The 130-page report provides details of
the experiment, the code used in the
jobstream and all results. Cataloged as
ANL-76-50, it is available for $6 (paper) or
$2.25 (microfiche) from NTIS, 5285 Port
Royal Road, Springfield. Va. 22161.
Commercial ECLIPSE Systems,
you’ve got better ways to spend your nights
Your nights should be your own. But
if you’re constantly forced to work into the night,
it probably means that your computer can’t
work fast enough during the day. Data General
has some timely advice: Commercial ECLIPSE
Systems.
These are high performance, real-time
data management systems that speed processing
along, all along the line. A typical batch
COBOL program, for instance, can be run
faster on a Commercial ECLIPSE system than
other small computers. One reason is because
our compiler uses our commercial instruction set.
And that makes processing fast. Plus it’s high-
level Ansi 74. Which suits business applications
perfectly. And your programmers as well.
Other unique Data General software, such
as Idea and INFOS, contribute to the high per¬
formance and throughput of Commercial
ECLIPSE systems. INFOS has an index
structure which results in faster data access.
While Idea, with its special screen development
package, can access files built by COBOL
programs. In addition, these systems
include peripherals, such as our 600 line per
minute printer, that can keep up with the rest
of the system.
There’s one other thing about Data
General Commercial ECLIPSE systems that
will keep you from losing sleep. As your
processing needs grow, our systems can grow
with them.
The commercial ECLIPSE systems.
They get you out on time. Send for our booklet
before another day passes.
Mail to: Data General, Westboro, MA 01581
NAME
TITLE
COMPANY TEL.
ADDRESS
CITY STATE ZIP
ECLIPSE is a registered trademark of Data General Corporation.
INFOS is a trademark of Data General Corporation. © Data General Corporation, 1977
i w Data General
It’s smart business.
Data General, Westboro, MA 01 581 , (617) 485-9100. Data General (Canada) Ltd. , Ontario. Data General
Europe, 1 5 Rue Le Sueur, Paris 75116, France. Data General Australia, Melbourne (03) 82-1 361.
Page 36
KCOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
Also Sees Disk Drive Reduction
Mass Storage User Expects to Cut Drives by Half
CINCINNATI — The first commercial
user of the Control Data Corp. 38500 mass
storage system expects to finish converting
to the system July 1 — and it also expects
to reduce its 12 tape drives to six and cut
down on the number of disk drives it is us¬
ing by that date.
The CDC 38500, delivered last summer
[CW, Aug. 30], has been operating 24 hours
a day since Nov. 8, when it went on-line at
the South West Ohio Regional Computing
Center (Sworcc).
Sworcc is a consortium sponsored by the
University of Cincinnati and Miami Uni¬
versity. It is located a mile and a half from
the main University of Cincinnati campus
here.
The first user data sets to be converted to
mass storage were mostly those used by the
academic communities at the universities —
statistical packages and some user
libraries, along with some libraries belong¬
ing to individual faculty members.
“As a test, we began loading data sets
from read-only disk files so if we had a
problem, we wouldn’t lose any user data,”
William Meyer, Sworcc’s associate director,
explained. “Since that went along
smoothly, we’ve started migration of pro¬
duction systems and tape files to mass
storage.”
User reaction to the switch has been ex¬
ceptionally good, according to Meyer. “As
far as the user is concerned,” Meyer said,
“his data sets are on disk, and no changes
to user JCL have been required.”
The CDC 38500 provides '16G bytes of
on-line data storage. Data sets are stored on
magnetic tape cartridges, each with a
capacity of up to 8M bytes. Each cartridge
may store up to eight data sets ( 1 M byte or
less) and each data set may be accessed
directly.
When a data set is requested, a selector
mechanism physically removes the proper
cartridge from its cell in the cartridge
storage unit and carries it to a read/write
station. The data set is then read and staged
to disk, and the cartridge is returned to its
cell in the mass storage file.
Retrieving the cartridge and loading it
into the read/write station takes a max¬
imum of seven seconds, the CDC
spokesman said. The time to stage a data
set depends on its size. Data is transferred
at 806 kbyte/sec, he added.
The staging operation is transparent to
the user and the use of a data set stored in
the mass storage system is identical to that
of a data set stored on disk or tape, the
spokesman continued.
‘Excellent’ Reliability
The reliability of the CDC 38500 “has
been excellent,” according to Dr. Robert
Caster, director of Sworcc and assistant
vice-president for administration at the uni¬
versity.
“Problems have been few even though this
was the first open test installation,” he ad¬
ded, “and we’ve had excellent help from the
technicians of all the vendors.
“Mass storage system availability has
been in excess of 98% since we began full¬
time production,” he noted.
Sworcc’s in-house staff of 165, including
90 analysts and programmers, serves a
variety of clients and operates around the
clock.
Interactive and Batch
The center runs interactive teleprocessing
and large batch. Batch facilities include
both central and remote job entry as well as
a batch monitor with four languages
available: Watfiv, Watbol, PL/C and
Spasm.
Interactive facilities are provided through
various vendors’ packages.
As a result of the switch from an IBM
370/168 to the Amdahl 470, Caster said,
Sworcc realized a savings of several hun¬
dred thousand dollars. The savings are not
necessarily ongoing, he added, but repre¬
sent planned projections over a five-year
period.
-
Halt in Drive Growth
“The computer center has been growing
at the rate of at least one tape drive and one
, disk drive a year for the past four years. The
growth rate for these devices will be
significantly reduced,” Meyer said.
“As we reduce our dependence on tape,
we cut down on operator intervention, and
we will need fewer operators,” he added.
“It takes between one and five minutes to
hang a tape or select and mount a disk
pack; the CDC 38500 can select and load a
data cartridge in seven seconds or less.
“As we migrate a large portion of our disk
data sets into the mass storage system, we
expect to eliminate off-line packs. Very
soon, all of our remaining disk data will be
on-line, with no need to mount packs.
“By then,” Meyer estimated, “we’ll be
averaging 60 cartridge mounts per hour
with the mass storage system. Cartridge
mounts during peak hours will be two to
three times the average.”
Operates With 470
The mass storage system is operating with
an Amdahl 470V/6 computer, a string of 18
CDC 33302-11 double-density disk drives
with three CDC 33332 controllers and 12
IBM tape drives. Six of these tape drives
and three disk drives will be eliminated by
July.
The mass storage system utilizes a pre¬
viously unused channel on the Amdahl
CPU, but can share a channel with other
peripherals when a dedicated channel is not
available, a CDC spokesman said.
IPS Has Channel Simulator
For Users of IBM 360/370
HOUSTON — Information Products
Systems, Inc. (IPS) is offering a simulator
said to allow control of all bus and tag
signal and data lines common on IBM
360/370 CPUs.
The 3670 IBM channel simulator report¬
edly simulates both the IBM multiplexer
and selector channels.
The unit is packaged as a portable test in¬
strument and can be used as a training aid
as well as for field service and final testing,
the firm said.
The 3670 sells for $2,485, IPS said from
6565 Rookin, Houston, Texas 77074.
February 28, 1977 _ HSComputeiworlp _ Page 37
On-Line Service Matches Patients With Nursing Homes
LOS ANGELES — A lot of the difficulty
in matching the right nursing home and the
right patient in a large metropolitan area
has been diminished through the use of an
on-line system here.
The county government has instituted the
first on-line automated Nursing Home In¬
formation and Referral Service (NH1RS) in
the nation.
Based on an IBM 370/158, the system
provides information, on approximately 460
facilities licensed as skilled nursing or
intermediate-care facilities. The informa¬
tion provided includes, but is not limited to,
the medical services and programs offered,
history of licensing violations and correc¬
tions, type of patients accepted, special
diets provided, languages spoken, personal
services provided, desired location and the
| costs.
The data is displayed on three CRTs at
the NHIRS headquarters and one at the
Public Administrator/Guardian.
Special functions the system provides in¬
clude an improved service level, rotation of
facility referrals, “Do Not Refer” proc¬
essing and area searching.
To use the system, a consumer telephones
the NHIRS office where trained operators
question the caller to determine the require¬
ments and needs of the patient. The various
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — An off¬
line computer output microfilm (COM)
system for microfiche production has been
introduced by Quantor Corp.
The system consists of the Q- 101
recorder/processor and the Q-203 micro¬
fiche duplicator.
The firm described the Q-101 as having
less flexibility than its model Q-105 and
classified the Q-203 as medium-speed in
relation to its Q-205 duplicator.
factors are displayed on a CRT and, using
a light pen, the operator selects those
requirements indicated by the caller.
Once the needs are checked off, the in¬
formation is transmitted to the system.
The system then selects up to three nurs¬
ing homes meeting all of the specified
requirements displayed on the screen. If a
The Q-101 produces processed, titled and
indexed 4- by 6-in. cut-sheet microfiche
from magnetic tape. It contains an 800- and
1,600 bit/in. magnetic tape drive and con¬
troller; CRT and controller; microfiche
camera; automatic-aligned form slide pro¬
jector; and on-line microfiche processor.
The Q-101 takes less than four minutes to
inspect the first finished fiche, then 1
min/fiehe thereafter, Quantor said.
Reduction ratios of 24X, 42X and 48X
printed facility profile is desired, it can be
produced and mailed to the caller. The
service is free.
NHIRS was developed using local county
funding of $145,818. The 370/158 was
already operating in-house at the county
DP facility. Annual operating costs are ap¬
proximately $60, 000/year.
can be preset, with the latter providing up
to 269 microimages of 11- by 14-in. pages
plus, title and index of printed output.
The Q-203 is a thermal duplicator that
produces single or multiple duplicates of
microfiche masters. It has a production rate
of 600 fiche/hour regardless of exposure
setting, Quantor said.
The Q-101 is supported by a software
library. A Q-101 /Q-203 system sells for
about $60,000. Quantor is at 520 Logue
Ave., Mountain View, Calif. 94303.
Zeta Research Adds
Plotter Controllers
With Microprocessor
LAFAYETTE, Calif. — Zeta Research
has a series of microprocessor-based plotter
controllers which it said uses Graphic
Machine Language software to achieve
faster output.
The controllers, in conjunction with
Zeta’s Model 1200 or Model 3600 plotter,
provide a drum plotter system which
operates two to 10 times faster than other
units, Zeta claimed.
Both the Model 51 and 52 controllers util¬
ize a technique that the company said com¬
bines the advantages of several previous
coding methods for plotter speeds up to
3,000 step/sec.
Prices depend upon plotter selection
within the system. Systems range from
$7,450 to $22,500.
Zeta is at 1043 Stuart St., Lafayette, Calif.
94549.
HP Drum Allows Printers
To Handle Mark Forms
PALO ALTO, Calif. — Turnaround
documentation, a hardware-based data col¬
lection capability allowing optical mark
forms to be printed on drum-based line
printers under software control, has been
announced by the Hewlett-Packard Co.
The optical mark printing is accomplished
with a printer drum introduced by HP that
is capable of printing a character in the
mark locations of optical forms, according
to a spokesman.
The printed forms can then be read by the
HP 7260A and HP 7261 A optical mark
readers.
The printer drum can be ordered with an
HP drum printer as standard equipment at
no additional cost. The drum can also be
ordered as an addition to an installed
printer.
Deliveries of the drum will begin March 1
from HP at 1501 Page Mill Road, Palo
Alto, Calif. 94304.
Drafting Tool Debuts
ELMSFORD, N.Y. — Information Dis¬
plays, Inc. (IDI) has a minicomputer-based,
stand-alone turnkey drafting and design
unit.
By touching the screen with an electronic
light pen, a draftsman using the IDI 150 can
originate a drawing or move, delete, rotate
or pinpoint any part of it and then see the
changes on the screen instantly, a
spokesman claimed.
Once the drawing on the screen is com¬
pleted, the IDI 150 creates a hard copy.
The basic model costs $139,000. IDI is at
150 Clearbrook Road, Elmsford, N.Y.,
10523.
action is
unications
DataConm Vfl
ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND
EXPOSITION, WASHINGTON, D.C.,
MARCH 9-11, 1977
Organized by;
Auerbach Publishers • Association of Data
Communications Users • Computer and
Communications Industry Association
Canadian Datasystems • Computer Decisions
„ Computerworld * DataComm User
Datamation • Infosystems
Join us for the data communications conference you don't
want to miss . . . your annual national conference organized
by the industry leaders.
That’s DATACOMM 77. It promises to be the biggest, best,
and most information-packed conference we've put to¬
gether yet.
Program planners have taken full advantage of the
Washington, D.C. conference site to arrange an out¬
standing series of special sessions dealing with govern¬
mental data communications. You’ll hear about datacomm
procurement within the federal government. You'll learn
how data communications works for the military and for
federal, state, and local governmental agencies and about
systems for information exchange between agencies.
You’ll also have opportunity to express your views at our
ynique evening “Town Meeting” with FCC officials. In
addition, you’ll be brought up-to-date on legislation and
other activities taking place right now in the nation’s capital.
All this in addition to helpful and informative sessions on
planning, implementing, and managing data communica¬
tions . . . plus workshops and discussions on the latest
developments in datacomm applications with special
emphasis on distributed data processing and networking.
You’ll also see what’s new in datacomm products and
services. Leading vendors have signed up for participation
in the DATACOMM 77 Exposition. It’s a great opportunity
for you to gather first-hand information. To comparp product
features and capabilities. To get the data you need to make
critical purchase decisions.
Bring your spouse! Our unique Spouse's Program features
guided tours, other activities arranged exclusively for our
DATACOMM family. Included are major Washington attrac¬
tions and exciting peeks behind the scenes not offered
on public tours.
Dr. William A. Saxton, Publisher of DataComm User and
Conference Chairman, together with DataComm User Editor
Morris Edwards, Program Chairman, invite you to join your
colleagues for the annual national conference and exposi¬
tion organized by data¬
comm industry leaders
for all datacomm
interests. Be where
the action is . . . DATA¬
COMM 77, Sheraton
Park Hotel, Washing-
ton, D.C., March 9-11.
:'hy UUUBMUEKi Send the coupon now
for details.
Dr. William A. Saxton Morris Edwards
I'm interested.
Dr. William A. Saxton,
Conference Chairman, DATACOMM 77
60 Austin Street, Newtonville, Ma. 02160
□ I may attend DATACOMM 77
□ My company may want to exhibit.
Please send me more details.
DataConm
Company.
Address_
City.
.State.
.Zip.
Telephone .
Questions? Want to register? Use our toll-free Hot Line: 1-800-225-3232. (In Mass, call 617-964-4550 collect.)
System Converts Magnetic Tape Data to Fiche
The Missing Link
The HP 3000 Series II closes the gap
between the small business system and the big central computer
Until recently, that gap was a real problem.
For small to medium-sized companies the cost
of a big computer was prohibitive. But
there was a growing need for extensive batch
processing and real-time information
management.
Today, the HP 3000 Series II fills that need.
A fast, powerful general purpose system, it
can handle a wide variety of computing modes
at the same time. Yet system prices start as
low -as $110,000 (U.S. domestic price).
HEWLETT [hpl PACKARD
& -■ d ■ LC&,
V - • r : . >
.
Data Base Management: another
“big computed’ advantage.
A versatile operating system
is the key.
Our Multiprogramming Executive allows
the system’s resources to be used concurrently.
While batch jobs are running, several users
can interact with the computer on a time-share
basis via terminals (either hard-wired or
over phone lines).
Operating speed is maximized with firm¬
ware-assisted software. And spooling, stand¬
ard on all models, keeps the peripherals
working at top speed.
Our system has virtual memory, giving you
the flexibility to run large programs with
a relatively small real memory. And with batch
plus terminal capability, you can develop
programs at a terminal using our interactive
EDITOR— then run them unchanged in
IMAGE/ 3000, our DBM software package
for this system, gives you the means to create
and manage a data base. And our simple
English-like inquiry language, QUERY, lets
you access yolir data base easily.
You can compile reports, make casual
inquiries without writing programs and up¬
date data on-line. You can generate forms,
titles, page and column headings, data sorted
by categories, subtotals, totals and averages.
IMAGE has proved to be such a useful
DBM capability that it was named to the
1976 Datapro Software Honor Roll. This
places it among the 38 top software products,
and one of only three DBM packages, among
1447 rated by computer system users
throughout the country.
The software was judged in six categories:
ease of installation, throughput efficiency,
Turning raw numbers into usable information.
All the tools for data base management are pro¬
vided by our IMAGE/ 3000 software package and
English-like QUERY inquiry language.
WeVe made our data management capability
even more useful with the addition of KS AM
(Keyed Sequential Access Method), giving you
fast access to indexed sequential files.
Hardware advances add
speed and reliability.
HP’s “fault control memory” keeps the
CPU running at full speed, even when a
memory circuit has failed. Five error-correcting
bits in every 21-bit word determine where a
fault has occurred and the system compen¬
sates for it. A RAM automatically stores
the information about the faulty chips.
When our Customer Engineer arrives for
regular maintenance, he calls up a status report
and replaces any faulty circuits— even though
everything has been running fine as far as
you’re concerned.
Fast (350 ns access) semiconductor memory
is used, making the CPU easy to expand.
In fact, you can go from 128K bytes of main¬
frame memory to 512K bytes, depending on
the system you choose. And disc capacity
ranges from 15 to 400 megabytes.
At the heart of the CPU is a 32-bit bipolar
ROM-based microprocessor. It contains 209
firmware instructions that execute many
system operations normally left to software.
This microprogramming speeds up
such recurring operations as moving
character strings from one location to
another, scanning strings for a particular
character and environment switching.
Processing interrupts and linked list
searches are also implemented in
microcode, relieving the operating soft¬
ware of considerable overhead burden.
With its power and versatility, the
HP 3000 is a natural upgrade for companies
outgrowing their small business computers.
If you’d like to see it in action, call your
nearest Hewlett-Packard office listed in the
White Pages. Or write to Bill Krause,
Hewlett-Packard, 11000 Wolfe Road,
Cupertino CA 95014.
batch mode for production work.
The HP 3000 is fluent in COBOL, RPG,
FORTRAN; BASIC, APL and SPL (our
ALGOL-like Systems Programming Lan¬
guage). These are high-level languages, which
the operating system treats alike. The same
simple control language statements let you
use any programming language.
vendor support, ease of use, documentation
and overall satisfaction.
Handling big business problems on a small computer.
256K), plus a 15 megabyte
moving-head disc, a 1600-bpi
magnetic tape unit, an HP
2640B CRT terminal and a
16-port asynchronous terminal
controller.
The Model 7 takes you to
192K bytes of main memory
(expandable to 256K), with two
47 megabyte discs, IMAGE
data base management, COBOL
With a throughput two to six
times greater than the original
HP 3000, the Series II is designed
to handle batch operations
and multi-terminal on-line
computation simultaneously.
All components of the sys¬
tem are supplied by Hewlett-
Packard, which assures maxi¬
mum compatibility and
minimum service problems.
(If anything goes wrong, you
know precisely who to call!)
The smallest system,
the Model 5, has a 128K main
memory (expandable to
Stack-oriented architec¬
ture improves throughput,
reduces program size and
enables rapid context
switching.
and RPG. The Model 9 has
320K bytes of main memory
(expandable to 512K). IMAGE
and five programming lan¬
guages are standard.
Any configuration can be
enhanced with the addition of
line printers, card readers
and punches, terminals, discs,
tapes and more main memory.
Everything is planned to let
your system grow with you.
I/O processors
usually come
only on big com¬
puters. The HP
3000 has one.
We offer a variety of
interactive, time-share
terminals to match
your particular
needs.
47701 HPG 2
Applications
Packages
Why do it yourself when software in the can can?
A Computerworld Special Report
February 28, 1977
PAGE S/2
COMPUTERWORLD
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
Working Rapport Essential
User-Vendor Relationship Depends on Communication
By Bob Hill
Special to Computerworld
The installation of an application pack¬
age can mark the beginning of a long and
productive relationship between user and
vendor. Or it may be the first in a series
of disasters that will end in bickering,
name calling and even litigation.
Which path the relationship takes will
depend on teamwork between the user
and vendor and the ability of both parties
to communicate with one another.
There are several key areas which must
be considered from the time the user and
vendor, begin negotiating the user’s lease
or purchase of software.
The first consideration is the personnel
resources the user is willing to commit to
the operation of the product. A user may
assume the software will run itself with a
minimum of manual interface.
The difficulty with this assumption is
that the system is a new tool in the hands
By John Imlay
Special to Computerworld
Each year hundreds of user group meet¬
ings are held across the country for
software users in every type of industry and
business. In theory the meetings are
designed to bring together management
personnel of similar interests, so that they
might share mutual problems and successes
in their particular dealings with software
packages. In participating in these con¬
ferences, they hope to learn different ways
of dealing with the complex situations that
can arise in doing day-to-day business.
Most software vendors sponsor these
periodic meetings but many do not. In such
cases, the user is left to his own ingenuity
to solve his problems. And, in many cases,
he is not intimately familiar with the techni¬
cal idiosyncracies of his individual software
application. Outcome: failure.
Thus the provision of these user group
meetings is more and more a necessity, not
only for the success of the user, but also for
that of the vendor. As such, this is and
rightfully should be, a deciding factor in
determining in which software package a
company will invest.
As publicity chairman of the Software In¬
dustry Association, I should use examples
of the value of user groups from a number
of vendors. As a vendor, however, 1 can’t
help but be most familiar with the ex¬
perience of my own company and its users.
1 hope, therefore, that the comments that
follow will be taken in a broader context
even though they focus rather sharply on
one company.
Annual, Regional Seminars
More than 20 different user meetings are
held each year by the 2,300 users of
software packages marketed by Manage¬
ment Science America (MSA). MSA
markets nine financial software applica¬
tions and sponsors user meetings for each
application throughout the U.S. and
Canada at least annually. In addition,
regional meetings are organized period¬
ically by the users themselves in order to
lend greater continuity to the annual
seminars.
Without active, interested users, the MSA
products would not have kept up with the
state of the art. Our individual user groups
are a major reason for our success over the
past five years.
Obviously, any management pondering
the yeas and nays of automating or convert¬
ing is vitally interested in the benefit derived
from these conferences. And who can relate
to management the utility of these sessions
better than other management.
“The existence of user group meetings was
very important in our decision-making
process," Bob Patrick, vice-president of the
of the user. The input and output may be
totally unfamiliar; it simply takes time to
make the user’s personnel knowledgeable
enough to take full advantage of the
product.
In addition, the use of a software pack¬
age is usually preceded by increased work
’emands on the user.
An increasingly successful business en¬
terprise places additional burdens on its
employees. Regardless of its use of a
software package, the user’s personnel is
under intensifying pressure to produce.
By not taking such factors into account
prior to the installation of the package,
the user may find itself grossly under¬
staffed to adequately operate the product
or to carry on its business.
Society National Bank of Cleveland, Ohio,
said. “We eliminated one competitor
because it didn’t have a user group.”
Any competent management is obligated
to achieve optimum use of its expended
dollars. Efficient use of hardware/software
dollars comes not only with the exchange of
machinery and magnetic tapes, but also
with the exchange of ideas: ideas that can¬
not be related through the medium of a
system, but only through the medium of
people.
Yes,, but doesn’t management pay,
directly or indirectly, for these meetings? “I
have not attended a user group meeting that
hasn’t. paid for itself. I’ve benefited greatly
from talking with other users and seeing
how they handle things. I would like to
form a minigroup in Louisville so that we
could meet more frequently,” Dick Stemle,
personnel director of the Louisville Trust
Co., Louisville, K.Y, said. Dollars are
measured in results and not merely in ex¬
penditures.
Is it worth the time involved, traveling of¬
ten several hundred miles and spending
from two to five days just talking? “I would
never miss an MSA payroll user meeting,
because if I get just one new idea, it’s well
worth the cost of the trip,” according to Ed
McGarvey, payroll supervisor for C.I.T.
Financial Corp.
Wise Investment
“I only go to two conferences a year, but
the MSA payroll meeting is definitely one,”
The second area of concern is the ven¬
dor’s commitment to the training of the
user’s personnel. Although the vendor’s
responsibility in this area is usually de¬
fined in the lease or purchase agreement,
the vendor must possess one quality
above and beyond any contractual obliga¬
tion: patience.
The vendor that is constantly working
with its own product often forgets the
uneasiness a user may experience in oper¬
ating the new product. This problem may
not only present itself in training sessions,
but may also spill over into documenta¬
tion which is overly technical and as¬
sumes a knowledge not possessed by most
first-time users.
The working relationship established
Stemle said. Time is money, but a wise in¬
vestment of time is an equally wise invest¬
ment of money.
“As a result of these meetings, I’ve
established a close working relationship
with other users in New York City,”
McGarvey said, “and we frequently discuss
(Continued on Page S/18)
By Don Leavitt
Of the CW Staff
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa - A pack¬
aged application can satisfy both an in-
house DP staff and the end-users “if you
evaluate the people you’re dealing with,
as well as the package itself, before you
buy,” according to the director of infor¬
mation systems for a manufacturing firm
headquartered here.
“Anyone can write code, but it takes
the right kind of people to support it,”
Charles Kribs of Lennox Industries, Inc.
explained, adding “if you get into con¬
tractual niggling while your system is
down, you’ve got a problem — regardless
of whose fault it is.”
He was talking about the relationships
he’s built up with people from Martin
Marietta Data Systems ever since Lennox,
during the training period establishes a
rapport between the user and vendor
which serves as the basis for a strong
communication link. In contrast, training
and documentation that leave unan¬
swered questions and confusion on the
part of the user are ingredients for disas¬
ter.
A third problem is the user’s unwilling¬
ness to express problems being encoun¬
tered in the operation of the product.
This is often due to the user’s personnel
not making management aware of proc¬
essing problems, due possibly to the indi¬
vidual employee’s fear that his inability
to work with the product will result in
termination of employment.
Although the user management is ulti¬
mately responsible for making the em¬
ployee feel secure in raising such ques¬
tions, the vendor can assist by never
belittling a user’s employee who asks a
question or raises a problem. After all,
such problems may not be due to the
employee’s actions (or inaction), but to
bugs in the product of which the vendor
should be aware.
Who Will Update?
The fourth and final concern is main¬
taining and updating the product once it
is installed. Computer systems are de¬
signed to operate in the user’s environ¬
ment, which is probably under constant
change; few users will be pleased with a
(Continued on Page S/13)
which builds furnaces and air condition¬
ing units, began looking at and then
installing the Material Requirements Plan¬
ning (MRP) portion of Martin’s Modular
Application System (MAS) three and a
half years ago.
Clearly Martin’s people are “good
guys” and their products good software
in Kribs’ view.
Few Choices
In the main, Lennox had no selection
process when it picked the MAS MRP.
The company was already using IBM’s
Requirements Planning System but found
it had “serious shortcomings.” There
were no other packages, however, that
had the flexibility Lennox wanted, so
Kribs had to choose between the Martin
(Continued on Page S/12)
On the Inside
User, Vendor Must Cooperate To Ensure Success of Package . S/4
Hospital Learns the Hard Way; Small System Has Limitations . S/4
Non-IBM User Faring Well With Packaged Programs . . . . . . S/6
Mini Users Gaining Appreciation of Software Costs . S/7
Calculation Package Gives McDonald’s Accountants a Break . . S/8
User Turns Mainframe Software into ‘Neat’ Package . . . . S/10
Management System Monitors Hospitals’ Personnel . S/ll
Coca-Cola Gives Its Franchises ‘Basis’ for Savings . . . . . S/13
Merging Payroll, Personnel Avoids Dual Data Files . . . . S/14
User Experience Critical Factor in Program Selection . . . . . S/17
Report Gives Overview of Remote Computing Services . S/19
‘Speakeasy’ Easily Supplemented to Conform to Individual Needs . S/20
This special report was prepared under the direction of Don Leavitt, Associate Editor. Cover art by Henry Fling.
User Groups Provide Forum for Ideas
‘The working relationship established during the training period
establishes a rapport between the user and vendor which serves as the
basis for a strong communications link. ’
Vendor’s Support Reputation
Soon as Important as Product
FEBRUARY 28, 1977 _
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES HgJ COMPUTERWORLD PAGES/3
On-Line Accounting Keeps Stride Rite a Step Ahead
BOSTON — While the manufacture of
shoes is highly labor intensive, one com¬
pany based here has managed — through
on-line financial reporting — to maintain a
profitable posture in the face of ever-
increasing costs.
One of the key factors in the Stride Rite
Corp.’s ability to continue profitable opera¬
tions is the use of a completely on-line
financial reporting system, the MMS
General Ledger package from Software In¬
ternational Corp. linked to the Total data
tase management system from Cincom
Systems, Inc.
According to Fred Brennan, Stride Rite’s
director of information services, “when we
were making the evaluation of the complete
system in early 1973, our target was to im¬
plement the package by the end.of our fiscal
year which was November 1973. We con¬
ducted the evaluation through early spring,
finishing in June. Most of our work in¬
ternally that summer was setting up our ac¬
counts, not changing the basic structure,
but expanding it,” he explained.
“Software International was creating its
Total interface at that time. So through the
summer while they were working on Total,
we were getting ourselves ready. In August,
we started generating files, distributing the
interface for Total, etc.” he said.
Most Important System
“General ledger and financial reporting is
the most important accounting system for
any company,” Brennan said, noting that in
addition to eight manufacturing facilities,
Stride Rite operates 120 retail outlets na¬
tionally with 3,500 independent dealers.
“Because we’re disk-oriented [working
with an IBM 370/135],” Brennan con¬
tinued, “we’ve been able to operate the
MMS General Ledger via CRTs in an on¬
line mode. Right now we’re employing a
local network of 20 CRTs and will add four
more shortly.
“The CRTs are located in various user
departments throughout our corporate
headquarters. In this manner, every user
has direct access to the computer system.
We do not interpose key entry or data proc¬
essing personnel between the user and the
system,” he said.
All departments are considered users of
the system, including financial sections,
production, inventory control, merchandis¬
ing and purchasing.
Hierarchy of Accounts
The MMS General Ledger and Financial
Reporting System stores both budget and
actual dollars for the current year, actuals
for prior years and previous year com¬
parisons. By creating a hierarchy of general
ledger accounts and structuring them for
different reporting purposes, the system is
capable of providing budget vs. actual
variance reporting, cost center reporting,
product reporting and preparation of both
fixed and variable budgeting.
A report writer capability allows the ac¬
countant to vary reports and formats and
design new reports any time he wishes prior
to month end, Brennan said.
By putting the system on-line, the closing
cycle can be completed much sooner since
the accountant can post his own journal en¬
tries and adjustments, he continued. This
means all the different reports for all
divisions, departments and financial areas
are ready within a few days after the end of
any period. Since all managers receive their
reports days and even weeks earlier than
under previous methods, action that affects
each responsibility area can be taken
earlier, too.
In addition, the package operates with
complete independence from the logic of
the account number, Brennan explained. It
provides for a 24-digit number and can
perform consolidation of domestic and
overseas divisions and subsidiaries where
the account number has no apparent rela¬
tionship at all to the senior account.
Typically, an accountant at Stride Rite
makes decisions on such things as what his
journal entry or credit adjustment should
be. Then he’ll access a data entry program
which is displayed On the screen and key in
his information, “filling in the blanks.”
This data is written out op, a transaction
file. When the user calls the computer
scheduler and says, “I want my files up¬
dated now,” DP operations takes that in¬
formation and processes it.
“For example,” Brennan said, “informa¬
tion could be entered during the first two or
three hours in the morning, followed by a
request to update the files. We’ll update the
files at say 11:00 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. — a
10-minute run — and then the accountant
has access to a freshly updated file, before
he goes on to his next set of journal entries.
Staying Ahead
“These things follow one another, so that
a set of entries is made, results examined,
then more entries are made. In this manner,
we can stay ahead of our accounting work
load, rather than always be ‘catching up.’
“At the same time,” he added, “when one
department is on-line to the computer,
other departments can post their transac¬
tions and see what they’re doing. Even
though only one person at a time interfaces
with the files, it happens so fast that they
don’t get in each other’s way. So far, we’ve
had no degradation in response time,”
Brennan noted.
“The system, therefore, is always on-line,
examining the files as they exist at that
point in time. Someone might have put in
a dozen transactions that are not yet up¬
dated to that file and it may not be done un¬
til that evening, but the next morning the,
files are completely up-to-date,” he said.
Fred Peacott, accounting manager,
described the reports the system generates:
“In addition to balance sheets, profit and
loss (P&L) and cost center reports,” he
said, “the system also provides cost of sales
reports (including cost per pair) and retail
expense analysis. Over 100 wholly owned,
retail stores are measured on a P&L basis.
“There are also depreciation and
amortization reports and interest and ex¬
pense reporting for the Federal Trade Com¬
mission. A detailed chase of all balance
sheet accounts can provide a complete list¬
ing of accounts in detail at any time. There
are also a wide variety of other reports on
call at any time they are needed,” he said.
“We’re particularly pleased with the in¬
teractive benefits gained from an on-line
data base general ledger,” Brennan said. “It
allows users throughout the company to ac¬
cess information without interference from
the DP department. At the same time,
because key-entry is no longer involved,
any mistakes generated by the user are
caught quickly — and the compounding of
errors normally experienced when a whole
string of people get involved in a transac¬
tion is eliminated,” he added.
RAMIS REPORT #3
How to evaluate the
efficiency of a DBMS
There are two factors to con¬
sider when evaluating a DBMS:
human efficiency and computer
efficiency.
In terms of human
efficiency, RAMIS users have
found that 75 percent of their
information processing can be
performed by the RAMIS nonprocedural
language in one-fifth the time required by
conventional programming languages.
' For example, in the time it takes
to write one typical Cobol program, 10 to 20
RAMIS procedures can be written. In some
cases a whole system can be written in one day.
“What-if” questions can be answered
even faster. In the time it would take Cobol,
Fortran or any procedural language to answer
one query, RAMIS can answer almost 40.
So when management wants an
answer fast, you can provide it in minutes or
hours instead of two or three days.
That’s fast.
In terms of computer efficiency,
RAMIS procedures use no more computer
resources than the average Cobol program
doing the same work.
In terms of storage efficiency, a
RAMIS data base normally requires less storage
space than the same data stored as sequential
files.
In addition, RAMIS provides the DP
department with tools for analyzing the impact
of RAMIS applications on
computer resources and
for scheduling file
reorganization. RAMIS is
constantly being enhanced
by our engineering staff to
provide users with on-going
improvements in both
human and computer efficiencies.
To find out how RAMIS efficiency
can help you, use the coupon below or contact
Mark Berkowitz, Vice-President, U.S.
Operations at (609) 799-2600.
Mathematics Products Group
PO. Box 2392, Princeton, N.J. 08540
Please send me information on RAMIS
Name— - - — -
Title _ _ _
Company -
Address -
City - State - Zip.
Phone -
Mathematical Princeton (609) 799-2600/New York (212) 697-9500/Chicago (312) 337-8161/Los Angeles (213) 986-8006/London (01) 629-2821 /Basel (061) 22-4070
PAGE S/4
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
CLOSE THE PROFIT GAP
WITH BLIS/COBOL
i'j
COMPUTER
SOFTWARE
ON-LINE
COBOL
PR06RAMS
305/293-9431 TWX (Telex) 810 853-5033
6237 EDGEWATER DR. • ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32810
THE OLD & THE NEW!
THE OLD The ICP SOFTWARE DIRECTORY is now in its 29th edi¬
tion. It is the most comprehensive single source of information
about software and data services available today. Published
twice each year this complete, two-volume reference manual
lists over 3,600 products and services serving the needs of all
industries and mainframe hardware environments.
THE NEW April will bring the unveiling of the ICP MINI-SMALL
BUSINESS SYSTEMS SOFTWARE DIRECTORY It will be the
largest manual of its kind listing more than 1 ,000 software pro¬
ducts and services directed especially to the mini-computer
market. It will contain sections on the evaluation of software,
the selection of hardware and other informative data for this
rapidly expanding segment of the data processing industry.
ICP — using its 10 years of software experience to organize
and present this all new directory.
A FREE GIFT!
As a professional problem solver we know
that you enjoy a good challenge and we have
truly found one for you. It's called COMPUTER
LOOPS. This attractive, walnut-based executive "mind-
bender" will be engraved with your name so there will be
no mistake as to whose problem it is to solve. It is yours as our
gift with your initial subscription to either or both Directories.
INTERNATIONAL COMPUTER PROGRAMS, INC.
MAIL COUPON TO: 1 1 1 9 Keystone Way
Carmel, Indiana 46032
NAME
TITLE:
Please enter my one year. subscription for the.
□ ICP SOFTWARE DIRECTORY I understand that I will receive 2 issues of both Vol. 1 (Data Processing
Management) and Vol. 2 (Business Management)
□ ICP MINI-SMALL BUSINESS SYSTEMS SOFTWARE DIRECTORY: I understand that I will receive 2
issues of this single volume directory covering both data processing and application software.
I also understand that you will forword my per¬
sonalized COMPUTER LOOPS puzzle with my first
issue(s) of the publication (s) indicated above.
The $100 annual subscription fee for the SOFT¬
WARE DIRECTORY and/or the $65 fee for the MINI-
SBS SOFTWARE DIRECTORY will be handled as I
have indicated below:
□ My Check/Purchase Order is Enclosed
□ Bill My Company
I would like more information on the:
□ ICP SOFTWARE DIRECTORY
□ ICP MINI-SBS SOFTWARE DIRECTORY
Please send me a descriptive brochure outlining the
organization and content prior to my subscribing.
COMPANY:
ADDRESS:
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STATE:
ZIP:
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:
User, Vendor Must Cooperate
To Ensure Success of Package
By Sheldon Ellish
Special to Computerworld
As a vendor of two (soon-to-be four)
financial accounting software packages,
Argonaut Information Systems has
acquired a broad base of experience with a
wide variety of computer users. Being on
the receiving end of many inquiries about
our packages, I have observed that the level
of sophistication at which the selection pro¬
cess takes place is dependent upon the ex¬
perience, knowledge and investigative skills
of the evaluating team (or individual).
The effort involved in the evaluation and
selection process varies from extensive
questioning and investigation of all the
users on our reference list, as well as
requesting a benchmark test after spending
many months looking at all the packages
available, to purchasing a package based
strictly on price within a few days of receiv¬
ing only an introductory information
brochure.
The software purchaser should be as pro¬
tective of his company’s investment as he
would be if personally purchasing a new car
or major appliance. Finding out as much as
possible from all available sources and
knowing (and then communicating to the
vendors) what specifications are essential,
as opposed to those that are merely desir¬
able, are two of the most important factors
that will determine the success or failure of
the system.
At the same time, the vendor has a moral
and ethical obligation to provide the pro¬
spective purchaser with all the requisite in¬
formation to make an intelligent choice, in¬
cluding the experiences of other user in¬
stallations that are similar in size, industry,
computer configuration and interface
requirements.
The more the user is willing to commit
resources of computer time, as well as the
time of clerical, technical and management
personnel, the more successful the im¬
plementation will be. Whether the vendor
or user installs the system, the need to get
involved from the very beginning cannot be
overemphasized.
Communication Failure
If sufficient computer time has been allot¬
ted, if the user departments have been in¬
cluded as part of the implementation team,
if all known program changes have been
identified and made — then the installation
stage should proceed smoothly with little or
no difficulty. When this stage fails to go
smoothly, it almost always is due to a
failure in communication prior to the be¬
ginning of the implementation. Either the
vendor has not revealed all the nuances and
subtleties hidden in the documentation or
the user has not described all the various
idiosyncracies in his computer installation.
The length of the implementation stage, if
all communication has been clear and com¬
plete and the computer has been available
for use when needed, will depend on
whether any modifications are made prior
to or during the installation. Often users
will request changes in ■ report formats,
sequences, summary totals, etc., after ini¬
tially seeing the output. Both the vendor
and the DP department should be careful at
this point to review these user requests for
cost and impact on the implementation
schedule.
Because actual experience with a package
once it’s installed does not always match
the user's expectations, the vendor is often
asked to make modifications immediately.
Sometimes this can be done for little or no
cost, with little or no impact on the im¬
plementation schedule. At other times, it is
better to let the system run for a few weeks
or months before making any changes,
since the original package may turn out to
be as good, if not better, than what the user
first wanted.
If the vendor and purchaser have been
communicating openly and clearly from the
beginning, then any user requests for
changes will be minor. If the actual usage of
the system leaves the user dissatisfied and
disappointed, all parties concerned are
equally responsible for not communicating
their needs.
Modification Policy
When requests for minor modifications
do occur during the implementation stage,
our policy has been to incorporate these
changes at the time of installation at no
charge, if the time involved does not exceed
the maximum number of hours we have
agreed to. If the time involved would exceed
the number of hours we originally agreed
to, our policy is to negotiate an extra per-
hour fee for this work.
The free support we provide consists of
round-the-clock availability via the tele¬
phone to answer any questions, including
which programs to change in order to
modify the system for a specific purpose.
We also correct any logic errors that may
occur at no charge.
Again, if the user is not satisfied with the
level of vendor support after installation,
then the purchaser either failed to explicitly
demand that this feature be included in-the
contract or else did not clearly understand
what was stated in the contract.
As more users become more sophisticated
and begin to recognize their own
responsibilities during -the contract
negotiating stage, and as more vendors gain
the knowledge and experience necessary to
market, customize and install their software
packages, the software industry as a whole
and the individual user installations will
mutually benefit from the resulting
maturity.
Ellish is vice-president of Argonaut In¬
formation Systems, Inc. in Berkeley, Calif
Hospital Learns the Hard Way;
Small System Has Limitations
By Don Leavitt The hardware is the IBM System 32, one
Of the ( W Staff
PORTLAND, Ore. — “Not Just Data,
Reality,’’ an advertising $logan once used
by IBM, is also an ironic summary of one
user’s future plans after an unhappy at¬
tempt to use IBM hardware and software
beyond its design limits.
The situation arose when the administra¬
tion of two Separate but geographically
close hospitals tried to use a system
designed for a small facility to support a
larger establishment as well.
The institutions involved are Dwyer
Memorial, a 70-bed hospital in suburban
Milwaukee, Ore., and the Holiday Park '
Hospital, a 195-bed facility here in
downtown Portland.
in each hospital. The software is the
Hospital Financial Management System,
one of the Industry Application Programs
(IAP) IBM promotes to get first-time users
up and running on the 32.
Before the computers were installed.
Holiday Park posted patient records and
billings with a cumbersome and outmoded,
essentially manual, technique. It used a
computer service, but only for payroll.
Dwyer Memorial used a service for patient
billiqgs, accounts receivable and payroll
processing.
“By late 1974, it was apparent something
better was needed if we were to ensure the
operating efficiency and gain the manage-
I Continued on Page S/ 18)
Cullinane Corporation’s IDMS has been named
by Datapro Research Corp. to its 1976 Honor
Roll. IDMS led all other database management
systems in the fourth annual survey of proprie¬
tary software users, who compared survey results
for all database management systems based on
seven key categories. For all systems measured,
IDMS earned the highest rating in five of the
seven categories. For systems operational on
IBM equipment, IDMS rated highest in six of the
seven areas. IDMS was also the only DBMS to
improve its ratings in every one of the seven cate¬
gories when compared tor he 1976 survey results.
The chart at right shows how all Database
systems rated.
Please don’t buy any Database system until
you look at the one actual users have named #1.
Like a brochure? Or a seminar schedule?
Use the coupon, or, for a serious look at IDMS,
give us a phone call.
HOW USERS RATE THE POPULAR
DAT4 BASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Package & Vendor
Weighted Average
User Ratings*
o>
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tr
o
Q.
CD
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0
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2
2
0
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ADABAS Software AG
Datacom DB.CIM
DBOMP, IBM
DL/1 , IBM
DMS-I I, Burroughs
GIS, IBM
IDMS, Cullinane
IMAGE, Hewlett-Packard
IMS, IBM
INQUIRE, Infodata
Model 204, C.C.A.
SYSTEM 2000, MRI Systems
TOTAL, Cincom Systems
4 3.3
8 3.3
48 3.0
29 2.6
5 3.8
7 2.4
17 3.8
.11 3.6
33 2.9
6 3.2
3 3.7
21 3.0
113 3.5
3.3 3.3 3:5
3.4 3.0 3.4
2.6 2.4 2.7
2.4 2.3 2.4
4.0 3.6 3.6
2.1 2.1 3.0
3.3 3.4 3.6
3.3 3.7 3.2
2.4 2.2 2.5
2.2 2.7 3.0
3.3 3.3 3.3
2.3 2.9 3.5
.3.1 3.4 3.4
2.0 2.8 2.5
2.3 3.4 3.1
2.5 2.7 2.4
2.4 2.5 2.6
2.8 3.0 3.2
2.7 2.6 2.3
3.0 3.6 3.5
2.8 2.9 2.7
2.8 2.8 2.9
2.5 2.8 2.6
2.7 3.3 2.7
2.4 2.7 2.1
2.8 3.0 2.8
'All weighted averages are based on a scale of 4.0 for Excellent.
Reproduced courtesy of Datapro Research Corporation, Delran, NJ. 0807 5
r— 1
I
I Please send me a
S brochure
I seminar schedule
| Name/title _
I
| Organization/department -
| City _ State - Zip - .
■ ^ "
| Tel _ I
j My computer is - I
L _ _ — - J
Cullinane Corporation
Wellesley Office Park, 20 William St., Wellesley, Mass. 02181 (617) 237-6600
PAGE S/6
H^COMPUTERWORLD
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
Despite Some Rough Spots
Non-IBM User Faring Well With Packaged Programs
By Don Leavitt
Of the CW Staff
PHOLNIX — It has always been easy to
get help through packaged software if
you're working with an IBM mainframe,
but how well does the installation with
other equipment fare now?
Lai rly well, apparently, if the experience
of General Host Corp. and its data center
here is at all typical. There have been some
rough spots, admitted project leader David
F'alkenstein, but “we're into our third 'ad¬
venture- with packages and we like them.
We'll probably get more next year.”
General Host is a New York-based com¬
pany in food and food-related businesses.
Until about two years ago, it had highly
diversified DP operations: some of its
subsidiaries had IBM 360/22s or 30s or
System 3s. some had Honeywell 120s and
some had no in-house computer capability,
Falkcnstcin recalled.
Corporate management decided to estab¬
lish a single center here at Cudahy Foods,
focusing on this subsidiary's needs first. In
August of 1975, a group was chartered to
put together the center and develop the ap¬
plications.
Three Task Groups
Financed, owned and managed by
General Host, the cehter has a Honeywell
66/20 CPU with 256K words of memory
and the standard GCOS operating system.
The group was broken into three task
groups, one each for financial, marketing
and manufacturing projects.
Falkenstein's financial group has been
working on general ledger, payroll, ac¬
counts receivable and a management
reporting system for Cudahy, which is pri¬
marily a pork processing company with
manufacturing facilities from Seattle to
Atlanta and a total of 30 reporting loca¬
tions each with its own P&L and balance
sheet.
General ledger seemed an ideal candidate
lor use of a package rather than in-house
development and since F'alkenstein had
picked a ledger package at his previous job,
just before he joined General Host in late
1975, he had some idea of what was
available.
This time the search started with the /CP
Software Directory. Though “there must
have been 50 or 60" packages there,
F'alkenstein “threw away” all that seemed
designed for small systems. He “picked 12,
sent for brochures and then eliminated half
of them because they were 'just pure IBM'
packages. The vendors weren't even in¬
terested in talking to a Honeywell user,” he
said.
More evaluation narrowed the field to
four and presentations by the vendors led to
the choice of Informatics' Accounting IV.
“It had the best features of the three we
looked at closely and Informatics offered
by far the best support for a Honeywell
site," F’alkenstein said, “so we bought it
and have been very happy with it.”
Initial Problems
But F'alkenstein was not without prob¬
lems at first. General Host worked with In¬
formatics and with a conversion package
provided by Honeywell to adapt what was
basically IBM code to its new environment.
In the process, F'alkenstein ran into “some
efficiency problems” which subsequently
were solved through changes in the Ac¬
counting IV code.
The original Cobol included some
subscripting and the conversion package
couldn't cope with it. “It lost the computa¬
tional aspects of the subscript — so we had
to put them back in,” F'alkenstein ex¬
plained.
That was a problem with the converter
and not with Accounting IV, he noted, “but
it was still a problem. We got the programs
to run on our machine but our substitute
code meant one of the programs ran for
'four and a half days.' ”
Informatics “didn't understand the con¬
verter any better than we did at that time,”
but when General Host asked them to fix
things, the company did. “They improved
the runt-lime processor utilization by a fac¬
tor of 1 14,” F'alkenstein said, acknowledg¬
ing that such improvement couldn’t have
been hard considering run-times when they
started.
Since then. General Host has added its
own front- and back-end extensions to Ac¬
counting IV, but hasn't modified the basic
package itself. It gets all but one very
specialized report from the system and that
includes consolidations up through four
levels of organization. The current period is
the fourth to be handled by the package.
Adventure Continues
But general ledger isn't the end of
Falkenstein's work with packages, and his
evaluation and on-going installation of a
payroll system indicates things may be get¬
ting better for the non-IBM shop.
Last fall he reviewed several possibilities
and finally purchased a payroll package
from Cyborg Systems, a Chicago software
house. Here again the vendor helped with
conversion to a Honeywell environment,
but Cyborg worked at the problem “a little
differently" than Informatics, F'alkenstein
said.
In the first place, Cyborg's “relatively new
package” was written in “absolute, honest-
lo-God ANS Cobol" and that meant
F'alkenstein didn't run into most of the
problems he had experienced working with
coding — like Accounting IV — that was
written years ago, the project leader said.
Beyond that, Cyborg recognized that
some things had to be unique to a particular
computer. For each of those parts of the
programming that might create a problem,
the vendor had one paragraph for IBM,
another for Honeywell and perhaps another
for Burroughs, F'alkenstein explained.
Basically, he commented, “a lot of good
standards we have today just weren't there
— or weren't being adhered to when earlier
packages were developed.” Cyborg's
system is made up of three programs — the
classic, but sometimes forgotten, division of
edit, update and report.
Files are being generated and other prepa¬
rations are under way to go live with
payroll processing for about 1,000 of the
Cudahy employees “soon," although
Falkcnstcin was reluctant to name a specific
(Continued on Page S/10 )
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-CARMEL, Ind. — Does
minicomputer software cost too
much? That is the question posed
by a feature article in the current
issue of Interface, published by In¬
ternational Computer Programs,
Inc. as an adjunct to the semian¬
nual 1CP Software Directory.
The answer appears to be: “No,
it’s not too high considering what
is provided — but there are ways
that will develop in time to bring
costs down and to make the mini
user a better shopper in the
software market.”
The question arises, according to
author Dennis Hamilton, because
business-oriented mini users, even
more than shops with full-sized
mainframes, “must rely on the
guiding hand of external software
sources."
The mini users he is concerned
about are not DP-oriented,
Hamilton said, adding “software
is generally a word that sends
them scurrying to consult
Webster’s Unabridged [Dic¬
tionary] — usually after they’ve
taken delivery of the iron.”
That degree of innocence could
make them “raw meat for vending
predators" and brings to mind the
original question. But, the writer
added, it also raises other ques¬
tions that seem to need answers
before we can reach a conclusion
on the first query.
Does mini software, application
for application, cost as much as
maxi software? Is there any reason
mini software should cost less? Is
the hardware-to-software cost
ratio for minis justified? These are
the questions spawned by the
original one, he said.
Tackling the cost ratio query
first, Hamilton noted “it is rare
that software will come higher
than hardware . . . With minicom¬
puters, however, odd variations
occur in that ratio and they are
rarely in favor of the software.”
Since mini hardware prices
“start around $12,000 to $15,000,
can exceed $100,000 and average
around $40,000,” the user can
achieve a 1 -to- 1 ratio “very
easily” starting at the low end of
that spectrum, “especially if the
software is a custom application.”
Returning to an earlier point,
Hamilton said the mini user “is
not likely to be a programmer”
and has to seek help from custom
shops, software package houses or
hardware vendors. Even if he
bypasses the custom route, he can
still wind up with a 1-to-l ratio,
depending on the product he
needs.
Sometimes the problem is psy¬
chological, Hamilton suggested,
citing the case of an accounts
payable system that fits “both
ends of the hardware spectrum —
from System 3s to 360/370s.” The
vendor has a single price —
$10,000 — for the package regard¬
less of the hardware on which it
will reside.
“Posit that figure to the [cost of
full-blown] hardware and it seems
tolerable enough. But try to con¬
vince the buyer of mini software
that a [working] system [including
an operational application] is go¬
ing to cost half again or more
what his hardware did, and you
become entangled in the fine art of
Explaining Software.”
Hamilton quoted Edward Horst,
formerly of Comtech USA, Inc.
— the vendor of the $10,000
“payable" package — who told
him, “If I had to rank tasks, the
first would be education of the
software buyer, establishing an
appreciation of the. value
received. ..You have to let them
know that DP costs are not the
same as monthly rental on the
hardware.
“As a matter of fact mini users
are no different than anybody
else,” Horst continued. “They can
expect that their hardware is going
to be about 33%-35% of their total
DP budget. That goes for large-
and medium-scale gear and minis.
The proportion is all the same.
“The guy with the 360/40 might
have a bigger staff, but he also has
bigger hardware. They still have
to prepare data, etc.
“When somebody gets a
minicomputer and finds out what
(he) can do with it, and (he) sees
all the applications that need to be
done, (he) can see the truth. It is
simply not a part-time job for
some guy who works in the ac¬
counting department and the
reallocation of a secretary to be
the console operator. It just
doesn’t work,” he said.
The eyes of some mini users
open easily; “others wouldn’t
open with a stick of TNT,” ac¬
cording to Horst. Many of these
mini buyers are looking for total
solutions and are basically one-
stop shoppers. They have a certain
function they want automated and
they want a complete turnkey
system to handle it.
It's a simple solution, Hamilton
acknowledged, “but in some
cases, it’s not the best one.”
Even if the mini users accept the
idea behind software and the idea
that it can be priced separately
from the hardware, there is still
the lingering concern that since
( Continued on Page S/1 7^
-•A-
- ■ >:
V'
■I -V -jV,’
m ri
SYSTEMS
CORPORATION
RESOURCEFUL
THE A DATA BASE MANAGEMENT COMPANY
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
COMPUTERWORLD
PAGE S/7
Prices Seem High, But...
Mini Users Gaining Appreciation of Software Costs
PAGE S/8
COMPUTERWORLD
~ FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
Y
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LOCATE and EVALUATE
MINICOMPUTER SOFTWARE
. Over 300 completely detailed
program descriptions.
. Operational requirements
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plus 4 Updates
$75. U.S./Canada $100. Foreign
INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC
70 Boston Post Road, Dept. C • Wayland, Mass. 01 778
Extended Calculation Package Gives
McDonald’s Tax Accountants a Break
By Don Leavitt
Of the CW Staff
OAK BROOK, III.— Many
users seem satisfied with a
software package if it just does
what the vendor claims it should
do. There is a user here, however,
who liked what his package did,
but pushed it far beyond its
original design goals and saved his
company "probably millions of
dollars” in the process.
The user is Randell C. Branham,
tax manager at the corporate of¬
fices of the McDonald's restau¬
rant chain. The package with
which he has been working for the
past 3-3/4 years is Smites, a state
corporate tax calculation system
from Cogna Systems, Inc. of
Chicago.
Profound Effect
Branham acquired Smites in the
spring of 1974 when he realized
his five-man staff needed some-
the
All of your professional life you've wanted to
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The Cambridge Systems Group now shows
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ASM2 is a business product. It has all of the
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ASM2 also has reputation and character.
Over 150 of the largest banks, public utilities, oil
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thing that would cut down on its
manual effort and eliminate the
burden of filing some 30,000 dif¬
ferent income tax returns with
authorities all over the country.
The acquisition had a profound
effect on Branham, partly because
of the way the package was
designed. Most packages, he ex¬
plained, end up in the DP area
and no one except DP knows
about them. But Smites is user-
oriented and user-driven “so all of
a sudden when we bought the
package, I was put in charge of the
darn thing.”
First Things First
The first thing he^did was train
his tax accountants to utilize the
package: If they couldn’t use it,
there was no need to do anything
else. Once that was done, the DP
people at McDonald’s “wrote
whatever they had to or did
whatever it took to make the
package compatible” with the cor¬
porate office’s IBM 370/145.
Installation was all the DP pro¬
fessionals were expected to do
.*
‘The accountants “really
grabbed hold of the thing
because they could see it
saved them a lot of
work. ” ’
with Smites at that time, although
they would have stepped in to help
if Branham and his tax people had
any special problems. There were
no real problems, the manager
noted, and the accountants soon
had some 80 calculation methods
set up under the package.
The accountants “really grabbed
hold of the thing because they
could see it saved them a lot of
work,” he said.
Extensions Begin
Then the extensions began. The
accountants sought interfaces to
the general ledger files and ul¬
timately the DP staff suggested
creation of a universal interface so
the users could work with
whatever files they wanted. So
now Branham’s office has access
to payroll, fixed assets and “the
whole data base” in addition to
general ledger.
Working closely with the
company’s DP staff and, when
necessary, with the vendor,
Branham called for and got front-
and back-end routines that
enabled the accountants to use
Smites for personal property tax
returns that the 1,000 corpora¬
tions that make up McDonald’s
had to file. Then they started do¬
ing estimated tax calculations on
the federal level, again an ex¬
tension well beyond the state cor¬
porate income tax work for which
(Continued on Page S/16 )
MICRO.MINI.MACRO
Bring all of the power of the most
advanced macro processor to your
mini or micro computer. The
DUAL Meta Assembler is cur¬
rently used on 15 host systems
cross-assembling for 80 target
computers. New higher level or
assembly languages can be defined
by the user In a matter of hours.
DUAL is available on the BCS
nationwide network or can be in¬
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agreement. BASIC, FORTRAN
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Joel Fleiss or Guy Phillips
Proprietary Software Systems, Inc.
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(213) 658-6858
We couldn t
do our job
without
MARK IV
— Dorothy Hopkin,
Director,
University Office of
Administrative
Information
Systems Development,
University of Illinois
IPi
■ I
1 il
SfiC'SW* 1
“Universities over the past couple of years have been
hit not only by tight budgets but also by external report¬
ing requirements that are close to impossible. My office
is charged with preparing these reports when they con¬
cern the University’s three campuses. There’s no way
we could have responded to these external demands
without MARK IV.® Certainly there is no timely way we
could have met these requirements using traditional
procedural languages. I’m sure two or three times the
number of people would be needed to even begin to
turn out what we do now in the information retrieval
and small systems area.
“One system completely developed in MARK IV is a
space inventory system for our three campuses. The
data used always has to be massaged, updated, cor¬
rected, and coordinated, because it’s coming from three
campuses with dissimilar systems. The time saved with
MARK IV and the ability to produce fast results sur¬
passes my most optimistic expectations.
“We run a 6 Meg 370/168 with IMS/VS and multiple
RJE locations, one RJE at our office site.”
WHAT IS MARK IV? MARK IV is the most versatile and
widely used software product in the world for applica¬
tion implementation, data management, and. information
processing. Six powerful models (prices start at $12,000)
are in daily use on IBM 360/370, Univac 70/90, Siemens
4004, and Amdahl 470 computers at over 1,100 installa¬
tions in 43 countries. Programs in MARK IV require only
about one-tenth the statements of Cobol, and users re¬
port 60% to 90% cost and time reductions on most
MARK IV applications. Send the coupon today for de¬
tailed information.
informatics inc
Software Products
“Every person on my staff of 35 has been trained in
MARK IV. I will definitely push its use as an adjunct in
our data base systems development, simply because I
feel that is the right way for less qualified IMS people to
deal with IMS.
World’s Leading Independent Supplier of Software Products.
- - - i
Informatics Inc., Software Products, Dept. CW 228,
21050 Vanowen St., Canoga Park, Calif. 91304
Name.
.Title.
“The University has acquired other proprietary software
since installing MARK IV, but in my opinion it is the
best and most useful product for my office. We’ve never
found a prtfblem we couldn’t live with, and the ones we
have found have been fixed immediately or in the next
release. And Informatics in-house training is superb —
we were productive the first week after they were here.”
.Computer.
Address.
City_^ _
.Phone.
.State/Province.
.Zip.
i' • v‘ • . .
. * - ' 'I \ , 1
O1' I:".,. -’.,'
V, ■ •
The views expressed are those of Director Dorothy J. Hopkin and not necessarily those of the University of Illinois.
: it,;
PAGE S/10
COMPUTERWORLD
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
Attach your business card here.
GRI COMPUTER CORPORATION
Marketing Headquarters ' '
870 Georges RoadJNorthBrunswck.N.J. 08908 <
201 545-7700 Telex: 92-2523 Cable: GRICOMP
Corporate and Manufacturing Operations
320 Needham Street, Newton, MA 02164
617 969-0800 Telex: 92-2523 Cable: GRICOMP j
By Don Leavitt
Of the CW Staff
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Sometimes software
available from a mainframe vendor is
enough to get a DP shop up and running,
with a little help from the user to make
the programs fit just right.
That at least has been the experience of
the small DP staff of a merchandise orga¬
nization based here. General Trading Co.
has a 128K NCR Century 151, a modest
collection of programs, two operators, a
programmer and a DP manager.
From such a base, Roger Fling, the DP
manager, is able to support the sale and
distribution of tires and other automobile
parts through 128 franchised General
Trading stores and another 250 indepen¬
dent outlets that don’t carry the com¬
pany name.
He has also been able to do his work so
effectively that General Trading was the
initial pilot site for NCR’s B3 multipro¬
gramming operating system installed on a
Century 151 in November 1975. In fact,
Fling did the conversion work so smooth¬
ly, with coaching from the local NCR
staff, that he left an NCR specialist gasp¬
ing when she arrived to oversee the opera¬
tion and found it already done.
A Pinch of This . . .
Operating systems obviously help a DP
center, but it’s the application programs
that help the end user and, ultimately,
justify the existence of the data center
itself. Fling has been perfectly happy to
use some NCR programs, to develop some
in-house and to go to outside sources for
at least one other.
He’s not a glutton for punishment and is
willing to use things “as is” if he can. The
NCR general ledger package, for example,
is used just as it comes “straight out of
the book.” So is NCR’s payroll package
and the mainframer’s accounts payable
system as well, Fling said.
General Trading’s on-line order entry
system includes parts of NCR’s approach
to the same problem but not the whole
system. As Fling explained, the NCR
package did things one way (or, in some
cases, left them undone) whereas General
Trading had "had a computer before and
wanted things done its way.
“So we pretty much rewrote most of
the order entry system,” he said.
Packages Fill Needs
Of Non-IBM User
(Continued from Page S/6)
target date when he talked about la is plans
in mid-January.
The financial group at the General Host
data center isn't the only one working with
packages. Falkenstein said the manufactur¬
ing project has gotten a free package from
Honeywell and is now “spending a bunch
of money modifying it to our specs." The
changes in Honeywell's Inventory Manage¬
ment System are in the areas of cost ac¬
counting and material requirements plan¬
ning, he said.
The work is being done under contract by
A-T-O Systems Management Group in
Willoughby, Ohio, and is still another ap¬
proach to getting outside software in shape
to serve the user's needs.
The two-man staff also wrote the com¬
pany’s billing runs and its purchase order
processing programs. All of this work, as
well as all the packaged applications, are
written in NCR’s unique Neat/3 language
which Fling has utilized ever since the
company shifted from a Honeywell 1200
and got its first Century (a 100) in 1971.
Accounts Receivable
General Trading’s accounts receivable
system came into being over a different
route. Fling drew up the specifications of
the system he wanted and the price he’d
be willing to pay to have the work done
and gave them to a group of four or five
programmers he knew personally.
They all knew the NCR Century en¬
vironment and Neat/3 so they told Fling
they’d do it for him at his price. Together
they set up guidelines for the project and
the system emerged with all concerned
reasonably happy.
All the applications are batch systems
running in background mode, except for
the on-line order entry processing.
There was no reprogramming required
when General Trading went to B3, Fling
said, since all they had to do was to get
the programs to run in partitions instead
of in the whole machine as they had
under the B1 batch operating system or
the B2 on-line system.
“Basically, we lied to the system and
told each partition it was running by
itself,” he said with a glibness that dared
anyone to ask for more details.
The company’s complete devotion to
Neat/3 as a programming language would
seem to lock it into an everlasting tie to
NCR but Fling denied his situation was
that one-sided. In any case, he added, he’s
happy with NCR and such a close rela¬
tionship doesn’t bother him at all.
He noted, however, that he had been
contacted by a company “down in At¬
lanta or someplace down south, I think”
that offered a conversion service to take
Neat/3 to “almost any -other system.
They must be talking about converting to
Cobol,” he surmised, “and they guarantee
85% complete conversion,” so General
Trading could move its programs if it ever
really wanted to.
But Fling said he hadn’t said or done
anything to bring on the offer from the
conversion service. He said a friend of his
who had become discouraged with NCR
probably gave the service his name in
return for a cut in cost of the service for
his own work.
But General Trading and Fling will stick
with NCR. The company’s Century 151
can be doubled in memory and “there
seems to be no limit to the peripherals
that can be attached.” If all that can’t
cope with the company’s DP needs, there
are bigger, more powerful CPUs in the
Century line, Fling noted.
We’re a small business systems company. When we choose a computer supplier,
we’re choosing an active partner. It has to be that way, because too much of our
business depends on the support our computer supplier gives us. If he’s not there
when we need him, we’re in trouble. That’s why we fired our old computer supplier,
and hired a damn good partner. GRI.
GRI gives us more than the most powerful business and accounting system on the
market today, the System 99. GRI is there when we need them. 24 hours a day.
Helping us develop our system. Helping us market our system. Helping us add dollars
to our bottom line. To us, that’s what a partnership is all about.
If you would like to work with a partner that really cares about your business, call
Bob Knapp or Vince Finlay at 201-545-7700, or attach your business card to the
coupon below and send it to us.
User Turns Mainframer Software into 'Neat’ Package
: V • •
FEBRUARY 28, 1977 _
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES El COMPUTERWORLD PAGE S/ll
Roland Hanson and Ron Ellingson, both with
the Oregon Association of Hospitals, discuss
a manpower productivity report.
hours expended are higher than goal, a sim¬
ple exception report is required. On it the
department head identifies the primary
cause of the productivity discrepancy and
his plan to improve during the subsequent
month.
The report of possible causes is reviewed
by the department head and an administra¬
tive officer both at the time remedial action
is taken and a month later. Hanson recom¬
mends reports be available by the 10th of
the month following the month being
reported. This, he explained, offers an op¬
portunity for corrective action to be effec¬
tive the following month.
Another report consolidates monthly
totals and offers administrators a
department-by-department review of pro¬
ductive hours vs. target hours. As on the
department report, it shows payroll dollars
expended for above-target performance or
dollars saved for hours expended below
target.
Still another summary report compares
dollar loss or gain performances from one
year to the next for each department. Pre¬
vious goals and their percentage of attain¬
ment are the basis for discussions by
department heads and administrators for
establishing next year’s targets. If results for
the year are less than target, the results
usually become next year’s target. If not, a
new goal is jointly established.
The purpose of the system is not simply to
conserve labor. The program is viewed by
the Oregon association as a means of more
efficiently utilizing technical, administrative
and support personnel. It further serves as
a means of rationally projecting manpower
needs and budgetary requirements for
various levels of hospital activity.
Personnel
rooms; “procedures” are used for nuclear
medicine, EKG and radiology; meals
served for dietary departments.)
In general, then, the only inputs needed
after the setup of the system are hours
worked by each employee and the work
load for each department by month.
“Once we’ve gathered the statistics for a
hospital’s prior year and provided a means
of gathering current information from then
on, the hospital administrators are in the
business of improvement,” Hanson said.
Obviously a key report of the system is a
monthly departmental analysis of produc¬
tive staff hours vs. target or goal hours.
This report also shows the dollar savings or
added cost, by month and year-to-date, as
the current year’s figures vary from the
target.
As an example, Hanson cited a nursery
that had expended an average of 4.47 hours
per patient day last year, but by July of the
current year had brought that figure down
to 3.83 hours or 0.64 fewer hours per day
than the target. Multiplied by the 355 pa¬
tient days that month and the department’s
labor rate of $5.41, the nursery showed a
savings of $1,229 for July.
Exceptions Reviewed
As long as productive hours are less than
goal, i.e., a production gain, no corrective
action is required. If, however, average
Creates Productivity. Okjeitives
Management System Monitors Hospitals’
PORTLAND, Ore. — Most workers
don’t like having the time and effort they
spend on the job monitored. Nonetheless,
more than half the hospitals in Oregon are
successfully using a computer-based
management engineering tool to increase
the effectiveness of their personnel.
Sponsored by the Oregon Association of
Hospitals, the Productivity Management
System (PMS) is characterized by Roland
S. Hanson, the association’s senior systems
engineer, as a closed-loop control system.
“It provides for establishment of depart¬
mental labor productivity objectives, a plan
to achieve the goals and a continual com¬
parison of performance vs. goals,” he said.
However, it also includes the means for tak¬
ing any necessary corrective action and the
establishment of subsequent goals, he add¬
ed.
The system can be used by both large and
small hospitals. Since many of these institu¬
tions have neither the staff nor the inclina¬
tion to run in-house DP operations, PMS
has been built on the programming and
processing facilities of the Tymshare, Inc.
network based in California, the engineer
said.
The association’s first PMS was installed
two years ago by Hanson and program
director Ron Ellingson.
Hanson’s prior computer knowledge was
minimal; his programming knowledge, nil.
However, he “easily learned” to program a
hospital’s system using Tymshare’s In¬
formation Management Library (IML) and
is now rewriting it using the network’s
Magnum data base facilities.
A couple of the largest hospitals have
their own terminals and individual accounts
with the network. The association has a ter¬
minal on which it runs work for mid-sized
hospitals, but even that is too expensive for
the smallest units and they apply the PMS
concepts manually, Hanson said.
Goals Established
Installation of PMS is quite simple, ac¬
cording to Hanson. It starts with a gather¬
ing of work load statistics by department
for the previous year. The average number
of staff hours expended per patient day in
that prior period then becomes the unit of
measure or goal for the department for the
current year.
(Although hours expended is the common
measure for most departments, Hanson in¬
terjected, other units are used when they
seem more logical. Number of surgeries or
hours of surgery are the units for operating
PAGE S/12
ICOMPUTERWORLD
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
Dependable Support Viewed as Important as Product
(Continued from Page S/2 )
offering and an in-house development.
The company chose the package route,
but even that wasn’t easy. Lennox had
“pieces” of IBM’s Production and Inven¬
tory Control System (Pics) and “some of
our own code,” Kribs said. “Since we
didn’t want to redo all that, we took it
upon ourselves, with help from Martin, to
modify the MRP programs.
It had to interface with IBM’s Bill of
Materials Processor (Bomp) and with Len¬
nox’s existing programs. That was a tough
assignment, Kribs said, since it meant
taking an existing system, interfacing it
with several other existing systems and
using it in an environment in which it had
never been used before.
Support Provided
Martin provided “a couple of guys”
on-site here in Marshalltown for about
two months during the initial implemen¬
tation phase, the Lennox manager re¬
called. During that time — and since —
both Lennox and Martin learned a lot
about the system.
Kribs “can’t say enough about the sup¬
port they gave us.” He said after the
resident Martin people left he always felt
he could call for help. If Martin couldn’t
solve it over the phone, “they’d load a
guy into an airplane and ship him off to
beautiful downtown Marshalltown.”
FORESIGHT®
The "application language" for financial analy s is , . mod eling,
and management reporting. All English language commands;
requires no knowledge of computer programming. In use for
over eight years; over 100 installations. A few of its uses -
budgeting, cash flow, merger and acquisition analyses,
consolidations, management reporting, financial analysis,
financial and corporate modeling.
LINE/COLUMN INPUT
AUTOMATIC AUDIT TRAILS
CONSOLIDATION OF ALL TYPES
COMPLETE FINANCIAL ROUTINES
SIMULTANEOUS EQUATION SOLVING
SINGLE. AND MULTIVARIATE FORECASTS
SMOOTHING AND SEASONALITY
USER EXIT, DATA IN AND DATA OUT
AUTOMATIC AND VARIABLE REPORT WRITERS
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RUNS ON 9 MANUFACTURER'S MACHINES
SINGLE AND DOUBLE PRECISION ACCURACY
TIMESHARING, BATCH AND RJE
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AVAILABLE ON UCS NATIONWIDE NETWORK
FORESIGHT SYSTEMS INC.
A subsidiary of UCS
1901 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, California 90067
(213) 277-2722
QSO
No ‘Niggle-Naggle’
“We never got into any niggle-naggle
about who was going to pay for what
before the problem was solved. If it was a
DOS-Bomp problem, it was a first for
them too. Besides we put an equal
amount of manpower into the project,”
he said.
“After the problem was solved, we’d
argue about whose fault it was. Some¬
times I’d buy dinner, sometimes they
would, but we had a system that worked
and even if I had to call them today,
when we’re way outside the contract
period, they probably wouldn’t bill me
for their help. They never have,” he
added, manufacturing sites with remote
job entry facilities and 21 warehouses, as
well as two Canadian locations, Kribs
said.
modules that were designed to support
MRP. We just took off and used the
inventory control module and the whole
thing works, and it seems to be working
well,” Kribs said.
The only problem the company is hav¬
ing in the UK arises from the fact that the
Lennox facility there is too small to
justify its own data center. So it is run¬
ning the MAS modules at a service bureau
and “that, as might be expected, is a little
difficult, communications-wise,” accord¬
ing to Kribs.
The MAS experience has been good
enough on both sides of the Atlantic so
that Kribs has begun talking to Martin
about acquisition of the purchasing sys¬
tem modules. Lennox is using a much
modified version of the inventory control
system from IBM’s Pics and that ap¬
parently will stay in place for the foresee¬
able future.
Payroll Program
Unsolicited Praise
Are the end users happy? Kribs said
MAS MRP is the only application he has
ever installed that brought him unsoli¬
cited letters from the factory managers,
thanking him for the system. “I got a
six -page letter from a guy who’d been the
biggest antagonist we had as the system
was going in; I nearly fell off my chair.”
Kribs has helped to install even more of
the MAS collection of applications at
Lennox’s small factory over in England.
There the support from Martin and the
results are as good as here in the U.S., but
the approach is quite different, he said.
The English operation had no preexist¬
ing programs so Lennox and Martin start¬
ed fresh. “We’re using the other MAS
The company is in the market for and
has begun actively looking at payroll pro¬
grams, he added. “We’ve got five old
systems now and we’re really thinking of
getting one good one and putting every¬
thing under one roof. We won’t try to
write one ourselves,” he added.
Particularly with the number of payroll
packages now available, Kribs expects to
follow his basic approach of screening out
the unacceptable vendors before even
looking at the technical characteristics of
any packages.
He’ll look at the vendors’ “track rec¬
ords,” check their Dun & Bradstreet rat¬
ings “and generally see if they’ll be
around a while.” Then he’ll probably talk
to users of some of the packages that are
still in the running, to see how well the
vendors really come through with support
when it’s needed.
*
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• X • —
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McCormack & Dodge
Please send me more information on:
□ Accounts Payable Information System
□ Fixed Asset Analysis & Accounting System
Name
Comoanv
Title
Tel. No.
Street
City
State
Zip
Computer Mainframe
CoreSize
McCORMACK & DODGE CORPORATION
381 Elliot St., Newton, MA 02164 (617) 964-6610
Atlanta (404) 477-1020 Chicago (312) 298-3666 San Francisco (415) 383-1443
When knowledgeable DP managers, answering the
Datamation/Datapro Poll, rate your software highest
among all major competitive Accounting Systems,
that’s important.
But when they do it two years in a row, that’s really
important.
It means that McCormack & Dodge Fixed Asset Anal¬
ysis and Accounts Payable Information Systems have
proven themselves in action. In virtually every industry.
On a wide variety of hardware. All across the nation.
That each M & D software package is designed to fit
your requirements (not revised from someone else’s).
That it is supported by thorough documentation.
Personalized training. On-site installation. Never-
ending maintenance. And constant enhancement.
These, plus competitive pricing, are some of the
reasons why you have selected McCormack & Dodge
first. Two years in a row.
j
!
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
ICOMPUTERWORLD
PAGE S/13
Reduces DP Costs by 33%
Coca-Cola Gives Its Franchises 'Basis’ for Savings
By Udo Kellerbach
Of the Computerwoche Staff
VIENNA, Austria — Sometimes the best
application packages for a subsidiary or af¬
filiated company are those developed by the
firm that best knows its needs — the parent
corporation. The Bottlers’ Accounting and
Sales Information System (Basis), for exam¬
ple, is a package designed and supported by
the Coca-Cola Co. to help its franchised
bottlers improve their business operations.
By using Basis instead of developing their
own software, the bottlers can save up to
33% of their DP costs, according to Coca-
Cola estimates.
Design work on the software was started
six years ago and was based on experience
gained from several years’ use of similar but
less complete packages. A special interna¬
tional team of computer specialists and
business analysts was set up here in Vienna
to handle the project.
There were people from 14 or 15 countries
on the team, including George Adri-
aenssens, a Belgian, and Ron Smith, an
American, both of whom are now at the
User-Veador Rapport
Depends on Dialogue
(Continued from Page S/2)
product which is obsolete on the day it is
installed.
Once again, clauses in the lease or pur¬
chase agreement will define the responsi¬
bility for updating the product. If that
responsibility lies with the vendor, re-
sponsivenesss to such changes is the key
to a successful relationship.
The longer the lag time in implementing
needed changes, the more excuses the
user will have for not using the product.
The result may be termination of the
agreement or ill feelings on the part of
the user that the vendor has not done
what he agreed to do.
Keeping the lines of communication
open may be a cliche, but it is a particu¬
larly difficult task when the user and
vendor each speak a different language.
Commitment of personnel, patience,
problem identification and solution and
responsiveness to change are the keys to
Open communication and, ultimately, to
a successful user-yendor relationship.
Hill is manager of educational services at
Information & Communications, Inc.,
Burbank, Calif.
'Maybe What We Really Need Are a
Dumb Terminal and a Smart User.'
VOLUME
KEY PUNCHING
(402) 592-1686
“QUALITY
AT
LOWER
COST”
HsiliaoaQsiH
00H ill 09 ESSES
4345 South 89th St.
Omaha, Nebraska 68127
Atlanta, Ga., headquarters of Coca-Cola
U.S.A. To date, more than 120 man-years
of effort have been invested in the project.
The package presently consists of 30 ap¬
plications covering almost all operations of
the bottling plant including marketing.
Support now ranges across route planning,
sales accounting, invoicing, stock reporting
and daily and monthly sales analysis.
Further applications continue to be
designed and developed, a spokesman add¬
ed.
Written in RPG with Assembly
subroutines. Basis can be used on IBM 32
small business systems and on the System 3
range as’ well. Remote DP operations are
also supported on IBM’s 3741 terminal.
The facilities and economy of use of the
package can therefore be realized by
virtually any size bottling plant, the com-
7
pany noted.
On-site implementation of Basis is the re¬
sponsibility of the local national offices of
Coca-Cola, with help and supervision from
the development team. Installation and
subsequent operation of the system is said
to be made easy by the availability of com-
‘By the end of this year, the
developers expect it to be in use
in 13 countries by at least 83
bottling operations.’
prehensive documentation on all aspects of
Basis, both managerial and operational.
To date more than 50 users in 1 1 countries
have adopted the package and almost all
are using the whole range of 30 applica¬
tions. By the end of this year, the developers
expect it to be in use in 13 countries by at
least 83 bottling operations. Although the
package carries a price tag, a spokesman at
Coca-Cola U.S.A. declined to provide any
specifics on the costs. He noted, justifiably,
that prices vary from country to country
and that changes in international rates of
exchange make the quoting of any price
now for publication later — as in the case
of this article — at least impractical and
possibly dangerous.)
Due to the basic similarity of the bottling
business, regardless of the specific soft
drinks involved, Coca-Cola acknowledges
that the logic and indeed the coding of Basis
could theoretically be used by companies
outside the developer's franchise system.
There are, however, no plans now to
market Basis as a software package to
outsiders, the spokesman stated.
Announcing
Com-plete.
The most complete
TP System in
history.
No other system gives you gjl these advantages.
It’s CICS, IMS/DC, and TS0...all in one!
1 . Conversational Transaction Processing, even from the day of installation.
I
I
I
I
I
I
Anyone can enter or retrieve data from a
Com-plete terminal. Response time? Faster
than any other system!
2. Interactive Program Development.
Programmers can now develop and test
applications on-line. The result? A 15% to
30% increase in programmer productivity.
3. Operating Environment Maintenance
and Control.
Systems programmers can maintain your oper¬
ating system -and operators can control
it— directly from a Com-plete terminal. That’s
still another time and money-saver.
And there’s more!
Com-plete does all of this . . . but, compared
with other systems, uses less than half the
main memory and processing time. And
customers say that it’s amazingly reliable,
G software nn
OF NORTH AMERICA. INC ^
Reston International Center, 11800 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 22091
Name _ — State - Zip.
Is security a concern? Com-plete. offers
more than any other system, for both on-line
and batch.
Special introductory offer.
Com-plete will cost considerably more in 6
months than it does now. So contact us soon.
We’d like to show you how Com-plete will
pay for itself again and again in cost savings.
Just a few more details.
Com-plete is introduced by Software ag,
the people who introduced Adabas. It
can be used on an IBM 360/370 or an
Amdahl computer. It’s now available for
VS1 and MFT operating systems... and
for MVT, VS2, and MVS.
Call or write today.
The number? 703-860-5050. The coupon?
Below.
Company
Street _
City _
Phone _
Type of computer.
Operating system _
1
■
■
■
I
J
PAGE S/14
COMPUTERWORLD
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
Kb*
Reduces Overhead Costs
Merging Payroll, Personnel Avoids Dual Data Files
PHILADELPHIA — Although there are
many payroll packages and a number of
personnel system packages to choose from,
a user may encounter numerous problems
unless the management of these two closely
related applications is extremely well
handled.
That at least was the concern of a systems
officer at the Philadelphia National Bank
(PNB) which last year installed the inte¬
grated payroll and personnel portions of
Wang Laboratories’ Super package after
looking at a number of other possibilities.
The real problem in trying to run two
separate systems, according to Tom
Spreeman, is that the systems cannot logi¬
cally be separated. The planning and
overhead required to maintain dual data
bases of basically the same information
cannot be justified, he added.
If there are separate systems, either one
has to be the front-end entry point for both,
including items only needed by the “back¬
end" system, or the user would have to
build a special routine to insure that
transactions get to the, right system,
Spreeman noted.
The special routine might be faster than
using either payroll or personnel as the
front end of a dual system but could present
very tough control problems. “Suppose,”
he said, “an entry generates transactions for
both systems, but for some reason one fails
to post. Reentry of the original item would
create another pair of transactions and
could lead to double posting of the transac¬
tion that had been accepted in the first at¬
tempt.”
Spreeman noted that the bank's move to
Super was precipitated by its need for an
automated personnel system. It already had
Wang's Pay 1 payroll system installed and
PNB “really wasn’t looking to upgrade
that.”
Rigorous Selection Process
That may have given Wang an advantage,
but the selection process was just as
rigorous for the personnel system as for any
package PNB acquires, Spreeman said,
adding that he and the bank actually “came
within a whisker” of getting a package from
another vendor.
The sales brochures for Super were “really
high quality,” but PNB “never lets a
package in the door” until it *has been
cleared by the systems and programming
staff. That process eliminated the other
package: “Our people said they wouldn’t
touch it with a 10-foot pole. The basic con¬
cepts were second-generation and we want¬
ed something more adaptable to the hard¬
ware we had and that we expected [large-
scale IBM 370s under OS/VS].
“So back to the drawing board. We had
looked at Wang’s Pay II when it first came
out and hadn’t been impressed. But they
said they had made some updates and mod¬
ifications so we went back and looked
again,” Spreeman continued.
It lacked the marketing eyewash of the
other package, but the system was struc¬
turally sound and “certainly something we
could live with.” A review of the Wang
package found third-generation concepts,
including an ability to link into IBM’s In¬
formation Management Systems (IMS) —
which PNB has — if that seemed a good
idea later
It was after that review that PNB gave any
real thought to the fact that it knew the
software house well, including its methods
for providing updates and problem solu¬
tions. Wang and its predecessor — “we go
back to Phil Hankins and Pay 0” — had
never left the bank in the lurch on payroll
and that had to be a plus in the evaluation.
By February 1976 the decision had been
made to install the Super payroll and
personnel systems. A small task force was
organized and there was no real problem
shifting payroll to its new environment,
particularly since Wang provided a con¬
version routine, Spreeman said.
Build Data File
The old system carried very little his¬
torical data on each employee, but the task
force had to capture what was there as well
as build new fields to bring the personnel
, system into operation. The requirements of
the federally mandated pension protection
plan meant PNB had to create as good a
.base as it could.
Spreeman wrote a program (using Culprit
from Cullinane Corp.) to go against the old
Pay I files and extract the personnel data in
transaction format so it could be entered
directly into the new system. This involved
some 1 10,000 transactions, he said, and was
tougher than it might seem at first.
The old personnel-type fields were so
limited that PNB had used codes wherever
possible. Each code might represent three
or four pieces of information and each of
those had to be turned into a separate
transaction for the personnel system under
Super, he explained.
Once it had the Culprit-generated file of
transactions from the old system and a
second transaction file built up from the
bank’s manual personnel records, the task
force used the long Columbus Day weekend
to post them to the new system.
It took 33 hours to get the job done, “but
when it came up, it came up clean. And
that’s what we wanted,” Spreeman said
with obvious satisfaction. Aside from JCL
“and other normal conversion problems,”
the team’s biggest problem was running out
of space, he added.
“Being a normal, ultraconservative
bank,” he continued, “we ran parallel for a
month after the conversion to be absolutely
sure the payroll was right.” The bank has
three types of payroll — weekly, biweekly
and monthly — so the parallel operation
was long enough to run through at least one
cycle for. each type.
The task force ran tests of the 941 A and
W-2 reporting procedures and in January
Spreeman said PNB was going ahead with
them on a production basis.
One of the things the task force had to do
to prepare for long-term pension control
was to change from internally generated
employee numbers to Social Security num¬
bers as the key identifier.
The whole process from selection through
implementation took a lot of time and ef¬
fort but anything less might well have led to
a system that didn’4 meet PNB’s needs or
that cost too much to operate, Spreeman
concluded.
Data Base & Data Communications
Our Oyster
“...then the world’s mine oyster,
which I with sword will open...”
William Shakespeare, “The Merry
Wives of Windsor".
The world of successful data
base, on-line management infor¬
mation systems can be your
oyster if you use the sword of
Cincom’s proven family of DB/DC
software products. “The sword
with which you’ll open it” would
definitely include the TOTAL data
base management system, the
leading DBMS worldwide with
nearly 1 ,600 installations; and the
ENVIRON/1 data communica¬
tions system, number one in the
field of new data base oriented
Our New Corporate Headquarters
Dedicated To Serve You...
Our Pearl
teleprocessing systems, with over
250 installations.
Perhaps you would care to pull a
few additional blades from
Cincom’s scabbard, such as the
SOCRATES reporting system;
the Data Dictionary System; the
Query Language, or the Data
Entry System... all designed to
enhance your DB/DC environ¬
ment.
Whichever tools you select, or
wherever you choose to use
them, you can be sure that
Cincom’s international service
and support teams will be close at
hand. You will also find quite a few
successful neighbors who have
already opened their oysters.
Cincom /y/hem/, Inc : UJe create efficiency.
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2300 Montana Avenue/Cincinnati, Ohio 45211/(513) 662-2300
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East (703)821-8370
Central (312)986-6070
West (214) 233-0486
PAGE S/16
115 Computer world
Saves Time, Money
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
CONSIDERING
TSO?
CMS?
CRJE?
ATMS?
VSPC?
ROSCOE?
WYLBUR?
SPM/OL?
TRY
MENTEXT!
□ Please send more information on MENTEXT.
□ Please contact me about your 1 5 day trial.
Name
Title
Company
Address
City
State Zip
( _ ) _ Ext.
Telephone
Send to: MENTEL, INC.,
459 Hamilton Avenue
Palo Alto, California 94302
415 321-2787
Tax Package Gives McDonald’s a Break
(Continued from Page S/8)
Smites was originally intended.
Last year, the corporation pre¬
pared its first consolidated federal
income tax return using the
package and the extensions it had
developed. Other enhancements,
apparently still under develop¬
ment, may lead to preparation of
sales tax and payroll tax returns
all based primarily on Smites.
‘Universal Print’ Routine
One extension that enables the
accountants to adapt quickly to a
new tax form is a “universal
print” routine. Utilizing this piece
of logic, the accountants mark on
a preprinted sheet where they
want figures to appear and what
files the data comes from.
But while the user has been ad¬
ding modules to Smites, the ven¬
dor has also been extending the
capabilities of the basic package.
Early on, Branham noted, for ex¬
ample, that the original designers
didn’t take into account such
things as the number of subordi¬
nate corporations in an organiza¬
tion like McDonald’s. Cogna
fixed that, Branham
acknowledged.
Working with McDonald’s and
other users, the vendor has coped
with law changes, enlarged fields
when they were found to be too
small and in general upgraded the
processing capabilities of the
package.
With all the work done and in
place, McDonald’s now has a con¬
solidated corporate tax calcula¬
tion and return preparation
system and, as far as Branham
knows, “no one else has such a
system.” It allows the accountants
to start with the closing of general
ledger, go to the federal tax return
and then to state returns “or any
other tax calculation we want,” all
without any manual computation.
In-House Plan Considered
Although they chose a package
as the keystone of the system, an
in-house development was con¬
sidered at one time, Branham
recalled. But the classic concerns
of time and resources ruled it out:
“We wanted to develop something
in the first six months [of 1974]
and the package was considered
the best way to do it at reasonable
cost.”
Benefits from using the system
as it has developed are manifold.
Branham has five accountants
preparing returns so each is effec¬
tively responsible for about 6,000
returns in the course of a year.
That’s an unheard-of load, he
said, adding that typically accoun¬
tants would handle “up to 150”
returns in a 12-month period.
His accountants can write any
calculation formula they want
with Smites, Branham continued.
He has had no problems with tax¬
ing authorities, but he’s not wor¬
ried in any case since the system
develops “very good audit trails.”
The dollar payoff from use of
the Smites-based system lies in
Branham’s ability to take advan¬
tage of things that just weren’t
possible with manual preparation
of returns. The estimate of
"millions of dollars” saved is
based on his ability to file all
returns three days before deadline,
a sheer impossibility without full-
scale automation.
But the tax manager saw other
benefits as well. He noted the
system provides his department
with a tax planning and analysis
tool which allows them to see such
things as what kind of corporate
structure and what place of incor¬
poration is best. This, too, would
be impossible to do manually,
considering the scale of the
McDonald’s operation, he said.
Perhaps more important than
anything else, Branham con¬
cluded, the system gives the in¬
dividual accountant time to think
and a tool so he can research past
or future events to better un¬
derstand their impact on his work.
He noted, for example, that his
group has done an in-depth review
of filing methods for state tax
purposes “and they’ve saved us
hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We didn’t know they existed
before our study and they are
available to others, but I suspect
the others haven’t had time to
study them.”
quality
knows
quality!
That’s why many
FORTUNE 500
companies select
Computeristics, Inc. to
install their accounts
receivable and credit
management systems.
The Computeristics on¬
line CUSTOMAR®
system gives you 5
systems in one!
ON-LINE
ACCOUNTS
RECEIVABLE
AND CREDIT
MANAGEMENT
Computeristics can install
the dependable on-line
CustomAR® system on
your computer faster than
you would believe
possible!
So ... if your Management
is pushing to improve credit
control and productivity,
take the time to call or
write us and we will send
you more information
about on-line CustomAR®
computeristics, inc
OXFORD MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH CENTER
MIDDLEBURY, CONNECTICUT 06749
(203) 573-2499
computaristics, inc
Oxford Management and Research Center
Middlebury, Ct. 06749
Attn: Richard A. Van Saun, Sales Manager
PLEASE SEND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO:
NAME-
TITLE-
COMPANY-
ADDRESS-
CITY _
ZIP _
-STATE-
-PHONE.
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
IgaCOMPUTERWORLD
PAGE S/17
When Comparing Competitors
User Experience Critical Factor in Program Selection
By Marc O. Cherbonnier
Special to Computerworld
Packaged application software is becom¬
ing more acceptable on a package-by-
package basis as the word spreads from the
user companies. The discriminating com¬
pany doesn't buy software because of clever
advertising; it collects data from the com¬
peting vendors and evaluates and compares
each element of system information.
The comparison of these elements is
weighted by particular user needs. One ele¬
ment always has a high weighting factor:
user reputation. This explains the gradual
vendor sales upswing rather than an
overnight boom for the industry.
The Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.
(BG&E) purchased Management Science
America's (MSA) payroll package because
it fared best in the utility's critique. The
system was implemented at the end of 1971
and after the initial benefits of quicker
system implementation and lower in-house
programming cost, it was found:
• The documentation is much better,
than that for many of BG&E's inhouse
systems and it is especially good for payroll
users.
• The source programs (Cobol) require
very little core (64K) and have abundant
helpful comments.
• MSA's data base is logically structured
in its arrangement of data and is flexible to
accommodate enhancements.
• The cost of maintenance is very low.
Payroll users utilize the package's special
report generator by coding a few parameter
cards and they have obtained over 400
varieties of simple reports or magnetic tapes
in this manner.
• There seems to be a high user con¬
fidence in this system.
Over the years, BG&E has embellished
the system's data base with personnel in¬
formation, making it a payroll/personnel
file. Then suddenly there was a huge need
for more personnel data: ERISA, ESOP,
OSHA, EEOC.
The demands of these federally mandated
programs were shocking. Was there really a
need for key entering all of this chronologi¬
cal data? No. Most of the current data
required in these applications was already
stored on MSA's data base.
It was decided to feed these new
subsystems from the file with varying
desired frequency. There is some redun¬
dancy of file data, but there is no redun¬
dancy in user effort or key entry.
In addition to federally required
subsystems, the utility company has pro¬
grammed and implemented a “life-to-date”
personnel history system which also feeds
from data on the MSA “mother" file. The
only additional data required by this system
is a few comments desired by our users in
personnel. As this system has grown in size
and integrity, it loo has become a “mother"
to yet other subsystems.
This package purchased seven years ago
may well be getting out-of-date; all systems
do. With the advent of new hardware and
new data base management software, many
of the systems are being reevaluated. But
because of BG&E's remarkable success
with this payroll system, it will always be
mindful of the very good application
software that MSA and other vendors are
offering today.
Cherbonnier is employee systems' leant
leader in the Information Systems Division of
Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., Baltimore,
Md.
Minicomputer Users Developing
Appreciation o! Software Costs
(Continued from Page S/7) ■
they bought a mini for 1 /50th the cost of a
mainframe, comparable software should be
proportionally priced.
Answering that concern, Hamilton admit¬
ted there are differences in sophistication
between minis and maxis, “but the effort to
write programs for a mini is never 1 /50th
that which it would take to write programs
for a maxi.”
To make the point clearer, Hamilton
quoted Bill Morris of Wang Laboratories
who indicated it costs as much to develop
the basic logic, application by application,
on a mini as on a maxi. But the maxi user
generally has to deal with an operating
system and consider “a lot of time-
dependent functions.. .you don’t have on a
mini.”
Therefore Hamilton drew two con¬
clusions: Mini software with features com¬
parable to its maxi counterpart should cost
less, but not 1 /50th as much and pro¬
prietors are usually justified in charging
what the uniformed mini software buyers
have, until now, considered unjustified
prices.
Competition, of course, tends to drive
down prices, Hamilton noted later, and so
do supply and demand when the former
outweighs the latter. That, he added, helps
explain the results of a survey taken of
“most of the top accounting-oriented mini
software packages.”
In that survey, Hamilton found 23
packages for accounts receivable on main¬
frames, with an average cost of $9,454. The
eight mini-based packages for this applica¬
tion cost an average $2,006. Results for ac¬
counts payable were 17 mainframe versions
for an average cost of $6,806, and nine
packages for minis at $3,294 each.
General ledger systems numbered 14 for
the big machines at $8,071 and 13 for the
little CPUs at an average of $4,753. Payroll
packages amounted to 20 on maxis, averag¬
ing $7,196, and 10 on minis for $2,687 each.
Clearly an advocate of thinking users and
proprietary packages, Hamilton concluded:
“Total cost. Total system. Total solution. Is
that a bad concept? No, not at all. It’s wjiat
the user wants. Would alternative pricing
be better? Certainly.
“Will it ever happen? The consensus is:
Yes. But it will require education of the
type Ed Horst is offering . . . The process
has begun; class is in.
“But graduation is a long way off.”
But Don’t
Break the Bank
Argonaut's Taxbreak/Taxcost Software ... for $1400.
Argonaut’s software is superbly crafted. So you get programs that are easy
to work with because they’re so well-written.
Our Taxbreak module calculates pay check withholdings, and Taxcost
figures employer liability. The complete package includes our special
Taxtest program that allows testing of all calculation routines. So you get
flexible software at a price that’s easy to handle.
Quality software modules at a low cost... that’s what we call efficiency.
From ARGONAUT SYSTEMS.
argonaut
Information
Systems, Inc.
2140 Shattuck Avenue Suite 205 Berkeley, CA 94704 (415) 845-7991
Please Send More Information:
Name: _
Company:.
Address: .
City: _
.State:.
. Zip:
PAGE S/18
COMPUTERWORLD
. «
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
User Learns Limits of Small System the Hard Way
(Continued from Page S/4 )
ment control we wanted,” Dwyer official
Robert W. Vial recalled. “When IBM an¬
nounced the 32 in January 1975, we felt we
could give each hospital its own in-house
computer at a lower cost than the single
shared system we had contemplated.”
He recognized, however, that the 32 and
the 1AP were meant for hospitals the size of
Dwyer Memorial. He admitted he was wor¬
ried the system “might be too small to
handle the larger hospital’s heavier work
loads," but he brought it into the institution
anyway.
Conversion at Holiday Park took longer
than at Dwyer but that was a reflection of
the degree of DP each had before the
switchover and had nothing to do with the
difference in bed capacity . and patient
volume, according to Holiday Park’s con¬
troller, Jerry Harley.
Implementation moved along in both
hospitals. Patient billing, accounts receiv¬
able, accounts payable and payroll are up
and running, and general ledger will go on
the system shortly, Vial added.
The early applications have been particu¬
larly effective. “Service revenues have in¬
creased because a system of this type will
pick up patient charges that might other¬
wise be overlooked in a manual system,” he
explained.
“Financial control is greatly improved
because of the timely reports the system
provides including the aging analysis of ac¬
counts receivable and labor distribution
analysis,” Vial continued.
At Dwyer Memorial, billings now get out
within three days of the patient’s discharge
instead of up to 15 days with the old system.
Computer aging and reporting of overdue
receivables also has a favorable impact on
cash flow, and the system is capable of ac¬
counts receivable agings on a variety of
bases: from insurance file date, from dis¬
charge date or from last payment date.
By contrast, “we really had no accounts
receivable aging at all at Holiday Park and
only very tardy aging at Dwyer Memorial
prior to the computer installations,” Vial
noted.
Rough Waters
But even with that progress, things aren’t
clear sailing for the 32 and the IAP at
Holiday Park.
Harley is unhappy with the system essen¬
tially because of its inability to really sup¬
port an operation the size of Holiday Park.
The system is good for small hospitals that
don’t want programming capability of their
own, he acknowledged, but it is “not nearly
big enough for our needs.”
He is frustrated by the single-task opera¬
tion of the 32. That is the primary reason
the hospital has to run the system 20 hours
a day, five days a week and eight hours a
day over the weekend — and even then all
the applications within the IAP are not in¬
stalled, he said.
The applications themselves got mixed
reviews. The patient billing and accounts
receivable routines are “strong,” he said,
but the others aren’t. Payroll “is not the
best,” according to Harley, who said it had
weak spots in both performance and logic.
There are cases, he claimed, in which the
documentation indicates calculations are
handled one way but the program code
does it differently. “And there is just no
code in the program as supplied by IBM to
perform state tax calculations,” he added.
The irony of the old ad slogan lies in the
fact that, having tried the IBM route,
Harley is now actively implementing his
general ledger application not on the 32 but
on a time-sharing system from Microdata
Corp.
That hardware, expected to be the sole DP
facility for the larger hospital by mid-year,
is the system Microdata long ago christened
Reality.
IMS and TOTAL USERS
YOUR DATA BASE
IISI-ST
GO TOGETHER
More IMS and TOTAL installations have chosen the ASI-ST Data Management and Reporting System to
implement data base applications than any other product. ASI-ST's dominance in data base environments is
easily explained:
■ Operates under all IBM 360/370 versions of DOS, DOS/VS, OS and OS/VS.
■ Fully supports all TOTAL, IMS and DL/1 features including TOTAL 7 and secondary indexing
under I MS/VS.
■ Permits creating and updating TOTAL and IMS data bases as well as retrieval.
■ Allows concurrent processing of conventional data files with IMS or TOTAL data bases.
■ Supported in both batch and on-line environments.
IMS users such as American Airlines , Dow Chemical, TWA, American Can, The Hartford, Union Carbide ;
and TOTAL users like Combustion Engineering, Northwestern Mutual Life, Anheuser-Busch, Corning Glass
Works, Eli Lilly and Holiday Inns are a few who agree ASI-ST and data base belong together. In addition,
ASI-ST provides an unequalled return on investment by maximizing the productivity of both man and
machine. Since ASI-ST fully supports conventional data files as well as complex data bases, these benefits
are not restricted to IMS and TOTAL users. To obtain more information contact:
APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE, INC.
Corporate Offices
21515 Hawthorne Boulevard
Torrance, California 90503
(213) 542-4381
User Groups Provide .
Forum for Problems
f Continued from Page S/8 )
methods and procedures.” The introduc¬
tion of the age of technology ended the age
of isolationism. No person, no management
and certainly no technological marvel such
as a computer is isolated from outside in¬
fluence and needs.
So, how well is this proliferation of user
conferences thriving? Of course some are
floundering. But some have become an inte¬
gral part of day-to-day computer opera¬
tions.
Cufam is the acronym given to the
organization of customers who use either
the General Ledger System or the Financial
Information and Control System marketed
by MSA. It was organized in 1970, with 20
users in attendance. Seven hundred users
attended the* annual" meeting held in 1976,
and almost 1,000 are expected to attend the
1977 meeting.
The organization is currently seeking to
become officially incorporated.
In 1976 a Cufam advisory council of 12
was organized; its members represent the
entire spectrum of interests in industry,
management and computer hardware. The
council meets four times a year and works
closely with management on the long-range
plans for the package. Detailed plans for
the package are listed and discussed, with
the proposals and enhancements made
ready for the next release.
The existence of user group meetings has
proven to be not only an asset, but a neces¬
sity for software users across the country.
They are the medium through which
managers coordinate with colleagues and
developments are shared between users.
I ml ay is active in the Software Industry
Association of the Association of Data Proc¬
essing Service Organizations (Adapso). He is
also president of Management Science
America, Inc.
'C.J., Find B.W. on the PDQ and Tell Him
Two V.I.P.s from IBM and NCR Want to
Discuss the DPMA on the QT With the
DP and EAM Managers . . . OK?'
The Software Manufacturer
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
I COMPUTERWORLD
PAGE S/19
Summarizes Industry Trend
Report Gives Overview of Remote Computing Services
By Don Leavitt
Of the t'W Stull'
Remote computing service (RCS)
networks often provide, in addition to “raw
computer power,” access to application
software that is, at one end of the range,
unique to a particular network and, at the
other end, identical to software packages
users can install on their own in-house
equipment.
Details of what application software is
available and where can be gathered from
sales brochures, library listings and newslet¬
ters from the individual networks. Anpther
source of information (and one that lends
itself more easily to comparison of similar
offerings) is the still-growing directory
published by the Boulder, Colo. -based
Association of Time/Sharing Users (Atsu).
This ring-bound catalog, now in two
volumes, divides applications along very
general lines — “Financial Analysis
Systems,” for example — and provides a
standardized one-page format for each
product an RCS vendor may have within
that general class.
Obviously, reports from long-standing
research firms such as Auerbach and
Datapro also shed light on what is available
and what users think of the offerings.
Complete Introduction
But an introduction to the full scope of
the RCS industry has been compiled by
Info-Dyne, Inc., a research and consulting
firm located in Minneapolis. This report is
more general than the references mentioned
above in terms of specific applications, but
is more detailed in terms of basic network
capability.
Remote-Computing Services in the U.S....A
Description (and a companion report about
Canada) appears useful to the organization
that is getting its first taste of “time¬
sharing” and to the installation that has ties
with various networks and is becoming
aware of how confused and possibly cost-
ineffective such multiple usage may be.
In preparing its U.S. report, Info-Dyne
worked with 28 RCS vendors and 50 users
from all over the country and from a variety
of industries. The users spent from $10,000
to over $7 million for outside services in
1975. They used an average of seven ven¬
dors during the year, although one user
reported working with as many as 26 dif¬
ferent vendors in that time frame.
The report, subtitled “Cost-Effectiveness
and. Key Issues,” is divided into a user
overview, a vendor overview, a comparative
analysis and a discussion of benchmarking
before providing a summary of industry
trends.
The section on applications, within the
comparative analysis area, traces both the
logic behind using application software on
a remote basis and the ways in which the
types of things offered by the networks have
changed over time.
Steady Library Growth
Starting with fundamentals, Info-Dyne
noted that application package libraries
have grown steadily since the inception of
the RCS industry and that “patronage of an
RCS vendor relieves the user of the need to
establish or upgrade an in-house facility.
“Similarly, use of vendor-proprietary
packages makes it unnecessary for the
[user] to maintain a large [in some cases,
any] program development/maintenance
staff. The intelligent user can save a consid¬
erable sum of money in this way,” Info-
Dyne continued, cautioning, however, that
this was “at the cost of becoming more or
less dependent upon the [RCS] vendor.”
The earliest generally offered library items
were utility subroutines that could be called
by the custom programs users wrote, the
Info-Dyne report said. These were followed
by various scientifically oriented sets of
related routines including the Biomedical
Data (BM D) packages of statistical analysis
programs and such engineering aids as
Stress, Cogo, Nastran and Strudl.
■ “In the rough-and-tumble marketing en¬
vironment of the mid-1960s,” the report
said, addition of such packages to the
libraries “was strictly a defensive. ..strategy:
time as well as other constraints dictated
that these items be acquired from outside
and very nearly all vendors did so.” All ven¬
dor libraries “looked very much the same”
at this time, Info-Dyrjp noted.
Later movement to vendor in-house de¬
velopment resulted in some library differen¬
tiation. On the time-sharing side and
“largely due to the prominence of the Bell
System as a customer,” heavy stress on elec¬
trical engineering became evident, the
researchers reported, adding, however, that
these programs were sufficiently
generalized to appeal to other electronics
firms as well.
On the remote job entry (RJE) side, bill¬
ing, accounts receivable, payroll and finan¬
cial analysis packages were, for the most
part, developed internally by several ven¬
dors, Info-Dyne said, “but the more-or-less
standard procedures inherent in these ap¬
plications made the packages functionally
similar.”
As particular vendors zeroed in on partic¬
ular market segments, one class of applica¬
tions tended to dominate their RJE
libraries, the report said, citing as an exam¬
ple Service Bureau Co.’s concentration on
banking and finance.
The adage that the more things change,
the more they stay the same appears to ap¬
ply to the RCS world. The Info-Dyne
rep'ort noted next, for example, that in the
past few years “there has been a decided
move to go outside for additional applica¬
tion packages” and “the never-great dis¬
tinctions between vendor libraries are again
tending to be minor.”
The only break in this pattern, according
to Info-Dyne, has been the choice of some
vendors to develop proprietary data base
management systems (DBMS). National
CSS spent “well over $1 million dollars”
developing Nomad, the report said, while
other vendors turned to established prod¬
ucts such as Total, System 1022 and System
2000.
In any case, according to Info-Dyne,
DBMS packages, whatever their source,
“are considered by the RCS industry as the.
most significant software product since de¬
velopment of time-sharing itself.” In terms
of revenue generation, there is adequate jus¬
tification for this view, the report added.
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE A
CORPORATE CONTRIRUTION
TO THE AD COUNCIL
Doyuarealfyknowwhat
happens when business
profits got® or down?
Wh*r. AttWnow* «t» *5 tbm fta
. Mkt' ff pM* c* 'hm p*wjn*! fcw* they
, Atwmhcr <* wN»r
. fapthM* up ihr intvt.Yiwtg*
. Uiy *** asd vxsvjty
“ » * ? »>wn 5*8
'wtMtora*? w*>«t . .
Tb l»0> r-w a wr
Wweiln wvj tww ” - ■ ■
OF YOUR EMPLOYEES
MAT BE DYING.
HELP SAVE THEIR LIVES.
High Blood Prnim Control Programs
and Industry ' Th. fat
scraming. publicity, retorraL followup. aduoahon.
Bui you car halp. By giTlng your employes,
hone, to chscfc their blood prrasur. It lakes only
end. to measure a persons blood pr smuts And It’s
nless Best of all. your own medical or nursing
do the |ob.
simply.
When a caseol High
Blood Prsseure Is delected,
the employee !
A
MGHBUXIO PRESSURE
treat it . .md be.
The Advertising Council is the biggest advertiser in the
world. Last year, with the cooperation of all media,
the Council placed almost six hundred million dollars
of public service advertising. Yet its total operating
expense budget was only $91 4,683, which makes its
advertising programs one of America’s greatest
bargains ... for every $1 cash outlay the Council is
generating over $600 of advertising.
U.S. business and associated groups contributed the
dollars the Ad Council needs to create and manage this
remarkable program. Advertisers, advertising agen¬
cies, and the media contributed the space and time.
The Advertising Council is a voluntary organization
that promotes the public good by conducting informa¬
tion and action campaigns in such areas as support
for higher education, drug abuse prevention, rehabili¬
tation of the handicapped, traffic safety and many
others. Recently, it added an exciting new campaign
to its list: one to encourage Americans to learn more
about our economic system.
Yet this donated creative effort, time, and space are
not enough to do the job. Money is necessary to
operate: Money to service thousands of mass media
outlets with the materials needed to publish or
broadcast the advertising message.
Your company can play a role. If you believe in sup¬
porting public service efforts to help meet the
Challenges which face our nation today, then your
company can do as many hundreds of others— large
and small— have done. You can make a tax-deductible
contribution to the Advertising Council.
At the very least you can, quite easily, find out more
about how the Council works and what it does. Simply
clip and mail the coupon below. You’ll receive
material which tells how American management is
helping to solve many of today’s problems.
Mail to: Robert P. Keim, President
The Advertising Council, Inc.
825 Third Avenue, New York, New York T0022
□ Please send us your material
Name_ _
Company _
Address _
City/State/Zip.
The cost of preparation of this advertisement was paid for by the American Business Press, the association of specialized business publications.
The space was donated by this magazine.
PAGE S/20
I13C0MPUTERW0RLD
FEBRUARY 28, 1977
APPLICATIONS PACKAGES
DEC SYSTEM 10/20 USERS
’Speakeasy’ Easily Supplemented
To Conform to Individual Needs
Commercial Timesharing Applications
AVAILABLE "IN HOUSE"
Data Base Management — DPL
Financial Planning and Forecasting - CUFFS
Advanced Basic Language - MAXBASIC
For FREE Trial Evaluation Call Sy Morse
SOFCO, INC.
4 Lakeside Office Park, Wakefield, Mass. 01880 (617) 246-2415
By James M. Condie
Special to Computerworld
Because computational programs for
many aspects of econometric research are at
best difficult and expensive to write, there
can be little justification for not using exist¬
ing outside packages that will meet user
needs.
The staff of the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System has been a user of
application packages*from outside sources
for several years. Even so, we find we
WITH DOCS USE YOUR 3277 AS A DOS DOS/VS CONSOLE!
DOCS— Display Operator Console Support— provides the IBM S/360 & S/370 DOS and DOS/VS user with 3277 display unit SYSLOG support.
DOCS is simply installed on any DOS or DOS/VS system with no changes required by the user. All 1052,3210 and 3215 typewriter functions
are supported by DOCS with numerous enhancements over a non-DOCS environment. DOCS also enhances DOS/VS operation on S/370, 138,
148, and 158.
DOCS is quickly and simply installed on any system. All that the user need do is catalog the DOCS distribution tape to his Core Image library,
define where the DOCS hard copy file is to be located and execute DOCS. Total installation time required is under 10 minutes.
DOCS functions concurrently with EDOS, GRASP, DOS/MVT, DOS/RS, POWER II, ASAP, POWER/VS, and ITEL's DOS/VS executing on
a S/360 and will enhance the system operation by providing improved facilities for the use of these packages while DOCS is controlling
SYSLOG.
DOCS is available from C F S, Inc. as a licensed program product and may be leased monthly, yearly or on a one-time lease arrangement for
$1 75.00, $1 ,890.00 and $5,670.00 respectively. All three lease plans include free maintenance for as long as DOCS is installed.
ELIMINATES DEPENDENCY ON TYPEWRITER
SPEED
DOCS provides significant through-put improvement by the
very nature of the speed of the 3277 display unit alone. Op¬
erators can even pre-answer messages on the console.
MULTIPLE CONSOLES
DOCS allows from 1 to 16 3277 display unit consoles to be
used simultaneously as SYSLOG devices.
MULTIPLE OUTSTANDING REPLIES
DOCS permits messages followed by Reads to the typewriter
to remain unanswered without tying up the system. All out¬
standing Reads are shown in high intensity on the display
console ($.'
REDUCED SUPERVISOR SIZE & OVERHEAD
DOCS does away with any need for the Console Buffering op¬
tion in DOS or DOS/VS thus providing a savings in the core
required by the users' supervisor as well as greatly reducing
significant overhead to the entire system. Experience has
shown that total through-put improvement with DOCS in¬
stalled may approach 10% to 20%.
Send requests for DOCS to C F S. License agreements
along with detailed information will be sent by return
mail. Inquiries may be directed to:
DOCS will continue to operate, and allow the entire system to
operate, if the 1052, 3210 and 3215 typewriter becomes in¬
operable. DOCS spools all typewriter data to a hard copy disk
file for later printing thus obviating the need for the type¬
writer to be on-line at all times. Hard copy is asynchronously
provided if the 1052, 3210 and 3215 is available. A hard copy
listing is also available through a utility program which the
user may execute in any problem program partition to list the
hard copy file on SYSLST.
NO USER PARTITION REQUIREMENT
DOCS executes in its own pseudo-partition thus allowing the
user unrestricted use of the problem program partitions.
MULTIPLE EXTERNAL INTERRUPT KEYS
DOCS provides a separate External Interrupt key for each
partition (replacing the use of the MSG command). This is es¬
pecially convenient for EDOS users. This function is also use¬
ful for GRASP users when communicating with a background
partition problem program. A unique interrupt key is pro¬
vided for each DOS/MVT region.
Mr. Richard Goran
C F S, Inc., P.O. Box 662, Brookline, MA 02147
(617) 731 3474 Telex 944285
m* n C .t miss Set**
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more »n1.<Li^rna»CS cao°9a
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address
Apr" f
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New VorK ___ p.prtt l*
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Seattle ___ Apr" 2®
t-oS *n9<! $35.00
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to reserv ducts
•\Soft'Ware Pr t, St.
^cslnc\
frequently need to modify packages to more
closely conform to our special circum¬
stances.
Several data analysis packages have
achieved a degree of success at the board.
These include Auto-Econ, which came from
MIT years ago; Time Series Processing
(TSP) from the developer at Harvard; and
BMDP from UCLA.
The most noteworthy, however, is the
Speakeasy package installed in December
1972 and distributed by Stan Cohen of the
Speakeasy Center at Argonne National
Laboratory, Argonne, Ill. The use of this
package at the board has grown steadily;
there are now more than 2,000 accesses per
month by users from several divisions and
for a variety of reasons in both the batch
and interactive environments.
Speakeasy’s popularity can be attributed
to a number of factors, but two stand out.
First, it was designed for humans to use.
All user control input is free form and com¬
posed of easy-to-remember English words
and a few symbols whose meanings come
from a natural notation. This makes the
control syntax easy to learn and easy to
remember by infrequent users.
For example, most readers will immedi¬
ately know what the following sequences of
statements will perform without having
read any of the manuals.
REQUEST HEIGHT; REQUEST LENGTH
AREA = WIDTH * LENGTH
ACRES = AREA/43560
PRINT ACRE8
Y=1, 4, 26, 35, 46, 9, 1
PRINT 8UM(Y), AVERAGE(Y)
Of course, speakeasy is also capable of
much more complicated usage including
graphical output. A sampling of vocabulary
might include such words as: ADJOINT,
ANGLES, ANSWER, ARGUMENT,
ASK, BACKUP, CLEAR, EIGEN¬
VALUE, FIND, GRAPH, HISTOGRAM,
INVERSE, KEEP, MATRIX, MODEL,
NOCOLS, OBJECT, RANKED, ROLL-
DOWN, SKEWNESS, SQRT, SUBSET,
VECTOR, etc. Help in the use of any of
these words is available not only from the
manual but also from a Help Library for in¬
teractive users.
A second reason for this package’s accep¬
tance and widespread use is the ease with
which it can be extended to fit the particular
needs of a given installation.
The importance of this cannot be un¬
derestimated, since very rarely can a
package developer anticipate all the users
that may be imposed on his package. Quite
often a package may do what it does exactly
as desired but doesn’t go far enough in cer¬
tain area.
Methods must be provided such that users
can add their special procedures and
routines without a lot of bother and in a
way that is independent of the basic
package. Speakeasy provides for this by
permitting the addition of extendable
libraries in such a way that a user may
freely mix his own routines with those sup¬
plied by the developer.
For example. Speakeasy comes with a
command vocabulary of over 500 words.
The Federal Reserve Board has supple¬
mented this base with nearly 100 additional
words. Other Speakeasy installations have
also added to the vocabulary.
It is important to note that these additions
can be implemented without any modifica¬
tion to the vendor-supplied package. It is
even expected that many users will add to
the vocabulary and complete instructions
for doing so are included with the package.
This provides an enormous development
potential; any extension made at one user’s
site is easily transportable to any other site.
Out of this whole process comes an ever¬
growing and changing package capable of
meeting new computational needs.
Condie is assistant section chief,
mathematical/ statistical services, in the DP
Division of the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System, Washington, D.C.
As the ICEMAN
sort melteth,
the number of
SyncSort users
increaseth!
(IBM users, come in from the cold!)
Pity the poor ICEMAN! When IBM introduced its sort, it was
frozen solid, its carrot nose glowed and the plug hat was
cocked at a rakish angle.
Alas, it didn’t stay that way long. Our SyncSort products
continued to heat up the sorting climate and the ICE Age
was soon history.
As we ran an increasing number of benchmark tests on
users’ files, pitting ICEMAN/PEER (SMI -5740) and IBM’s
other sort, SMI -5734, against our SyncSort lll-and-half, it
soon became obvious that it was no contest. The other
sorts weren’t in the same class with SyncSort.
Performance was the main reason. (And why else do you
opt for any software product?) SyncSort lll-and-half proved
to be a real miser with machine resources. Pitted against
the other two sorts, it will give you savings that look like this:
Call (201) 568-9700
Get a warm
reception.
OVERSEAS REPRESENTATIVES -
Brussels: CAP/GEMINI/CES
Dusseldorf: CAP/GEMINI GmbH
Geneva: CAP/SOGETI
Hague: CAP-GEMINI/PANDATA
London: GEMINILtd.
Melbourne: Shell Oil Co. of Australia
Milan: SYNTTAX
Paris: CAP/SOGETI PRODUITS
Sao Paulo: Deltacom do Brasil
Stockholm: BRA
Tel Aviv: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, Ltd.
Vienna: Ratio
100.0
TIME
COMPUTER SYSTEMS Inc.
100.0
MINUTES
127.9
Sort Support was another reason. Users soon discovered
that when they called us, a warm-blooded creature was at
the other end of the line. When they called IBM, well . . .
None of these obvious advantages of SyncSort were lost on
previous IBM sort users. Consequently, we’ve been
enjoying a very high rate of conversion to our product.
(IBM should be so lucky in converting its hardware users to
new operating systems.)
Is there hope for ICEMAN? Well, it’s going to take a lot of
cold weather. Maybe the Computer Giant will have to follow
the practice used by certain ski-resort operators.
Call in an Indian tribe to hold a snow dance.
560 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 07632
First shipment of a 3350
plug-compatible disk subsystem
ISS scores another in a long line of industry firsts— the first
shipment of a 317.5 megabyte plug-compatible replacement
for the 3350.
It's the ISS 7330-12 Disk Drive with 7835 Controller.
Third member of an ISS family of 100/200/317.5 megabyte field
upgradeable drives.
It provides dual port capability. On-site data recovery.
Functional compatibility with the 3350. And many other
technologically advanced features.
It runs on the latest versions of 370 operating systems. Lets
you protect your equipment investment. And it's available. Now.
ISS, 10435 N. Tantau Ave., Cupertino, California 95014.
We’re not just announcing. We’re shipping
Technological leadership
fa the generations ahead.
ISS is an operating unit of Sperry Univac
Sperry Univac is a division of Sperry Rand Corporation
Page 41
February 28, 1977
Computerworld
MINIWORLD
Departments Gain Control
Dispersed DP Solves User’s Problems
Small Busiaess Systems
Topic of Two-Day Semiaar
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — A two-day
seminar on buying and using small business
systems will be held at Boston College on
March 1 and 2.
Sponsored by the Boston College Man¬
agement Institute, the seminar is designed
for “managers who want an unbiased
evaluation method for purchasing a small
business computer,” according to a
spokesman.
Topics covered will range from applica¬
tions of small business systems and im¬
plementation alternatives to ongoing opera¬
tional requirements.
The seminar costs $295 with discounts for
more than two attending members of a
single organization.
Information is available from the
Management Institute, Fulton Hall, Boston
College, Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02167.
HP Cuts Card, Option Costs
CUPERTINO, Calif. — Hewlett-Packard
Co. has cut prices on some options and in¬
terconnection cards for its small systems,
the effect of which will reduce the price of
a typical system from 2.5% to 6%, according
to the firm.
General-purpose 8-bit interface cards
were reduced from $400 to $350. An asyn¬
chronous 16-line multiplexer card, once
$2,500, now costs $2,000. And a real-time
clock which previously cost $550 is now
$350.
The price reductions were attributed to
cuts in parts costs, a spokesman said.
Guide Details Lab Use of Minis
NEW YORK — Minicomputers in the
Laboratory from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
is a guide to lab use of minis.
Designed for scientists without a com¬
puter background, the book describes the
various uses of minis and explains program¬
ming using the Digital Equipment Corp.
PDP-11 as an example, according to a
publisher spokesman.
It costs $19.50 from the publisher at 605
Third Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016.
ICE Serves Mixed-Vendor Minis
ELMHURST, Ill. — ICE, Inc. now pro¬
vides service, installation and maintenance
for mixed-vendor systems configured with
Data General Corp. and Digital Equipment
Corp. minicomputers, according to a
spokesman.
The firm can be reached at 740 N. Church
Road, Elmhurst, Ill. 60126.
By Esther Surden
Of the CW Staff
MURRAY HILL, N.J. — “We believe in
dispersed DP, and minicomputers have
solved some of our problems,” John Reed,
DP manager at Airco Industrial Gases,
noted.
Airco, which operates more than 45 air-
separation plants in the U.S., uses a
Hewlett-Packard Co. 3000CX time-sharing
minicomputer to augment its IBM 360/50
batch mainframe, Reed stated.
In addition, the firm has 21 Datapoint
Corp. 1 100s located in field plants.
The company decided to try minicom¬
puters when it was looking for some way to
let user departments gain greater control
over their jobs.
“We were mainly looking for a time¬
sharing system and our Model 50 couldn’t
be upgraded to handle the time-sharing
needs,” Reed said.
The system not only serves engineering,
production and marketing personnel, but
also takes care of most accounting applica¬
tions, he added.
Parts, Equipment Inventory
Airco designs and builds its own air-
separation plants. More than 30 users at the
company’s engineering center use the HP
3000CX, running Fortran programs
through remote terminals that are served by
nine telephone links.
The HP system also maintains an inven¬
tory of the parts and equipment that are
available at each plant.
“Every plant doesn’t have every part that
might need to be replaced,” Reed said.
“Because we keep the parts inventories for
all plants in a single data base, the manager
of any plant can always find the closest in¬
ventory point that has the part that he
needs.
“The beautiful part of this,” Reed con¬
tinued, “is that the 3000CX runs 24 hours
a day, seven days a week. That’s important,
because plants don’t always break down at
convenient times.”
Airco’s marketing staff uses the time-
( Continued on Page 42)
Minis and Voice Synthesizer
To Help Tutor Blind Students
By Esther Surden
Of the CW Staff
RALEIGH, N.C. — Blind students in
North Carolina community colleges may
soon whiz through their course require¬
ments with the help of a small minicom¬
puter and voice synthesizer linked to a
larger mini.
Project Vocab — vocal computer-aided
instruction (CAI) — is being funded by
both state and federal agencies, according
to Bill Ballenger, project manager for the
North Carolina State University-based pro¬
gram.
It is designed to help blind students
“overcome the handicap of not being able
to see the chalkboard,” he said.
Under both state and federal laws, blind
students must be allowed to study at
Carousel Tape Cartridge Unit
Accommodates Up to 32M Bytes
MINNEAPOLIS — A carousel tape car¬
tridge system that provides 32M bytes of
storage capacity is available from National
Computer Systems here.
Resembling a 35mm circular slide projec¬
tor, Carousel 5200 holds 16 1/4-in. car¬
tridges in a removable pack.
For use with microcomputers and
minicomputers, the Carousel incorporates a
dual-microprocessor formatter to simplify
interfacing, handle routine housekeeping
functions and reduce user programming
requirements, a spokesman said.
The unit is designed for communications
and distributed DP where response time is
not as important as the availability of a
large data-storage medium, the company
explained.
The Carousel pack mounts on a drive unit
containing one- to four read/write stations
which can be operated at the same time.
The data transfer rate is 8,000 byte/sec at
40 in. /sec. Data can be searched by tape
block or file mark count at 120 in. /sec.
Rewind speed is 180 in./sec and maximum
Carousel 5200
cartridge load time is 4.25 sec.
A one-station Carousel costs $3,970 in
quantities of one to 24 and four-station
Carousels cost $7,360 in quantities of one to
24.
The firm is at 4401 W. 76th St., Min¬
neapolis, Minn. 55435.
schools along with all other students, but
course “bottlenecks” had been holding
many students back, he added.
The project is designed at attack these'
“bottlenecks” — accounting and DP —
courses which are requirements for most
students enrolled in the community col¬
leges.
When the project is completed, students
will be able to tutor themselves in these
subjects by typing data into a CRT and
receiving voice response, he said.
Research for the project is being
performed on a Wang Laboratories 2200T
minicomputer with the help of a Votrax
Voice Synthesizer from the Vocal Interface
Division of Federal Screw Works, accord¬
ing to Ballenger.
The larger minicomputer presently used is
a Hewlett-Packard Co. Access 2000 time¬
sharing system at Triangle Universities
Computation Center, a service facility
belonging to three North Carolina uni¬
versities.
The researchers pay a flat rate for time on
the system and access it through an
ordinary acoustic couple line.
Although a small-scale minicomputer is
presently being used, any 300 bit/sec termi¬
nal can be used in the future, he noted.
The researchers are not only writing the
CAI texts for the tutored instruction, they
are also writing the programs that drive the
voice synthesizer. The voice response unit
looks to the computer as though it were a
standard peripheral, Ballenger noted.
Control codes indicate the data belongs to
the Votrax, he added. A data switch detects
when data is to be synthesized into speech
through a process which produces words
and phrases using phonemes — basic
sounds — as building blocks, he explained.
The system produces the sounds and inte¬
grates them with inflection to produce
speech, he said.
A program from the Naval Research
Laboratories in Washington, D.C., is being
used to translate the English text into
speech, Ballenger added.
When completed, a basic Votrax, CRT
and acoustic coupler will cost schools “un¬
der $10,000” excluding software, he noted.
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Page 42
EH33 COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
^SllilllfllllS
JKk I corporation!
ALANTHUS CORPORATION
Itl High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06905
(203) 348-4820
ICC— ALANTHUS GMBH
AhrensburgerStrasse 150
2000 Hamburg 70
West Germany
040/66 7922
“From the user’s point of view, the system
is important for two reasons,” he con¬
tinued.
“First, he writes his own programs to
solve small problems, so he gets his work
done faster than he would if he had to bring
every job to the DP department.
“We could probably do the programming
faster than he can, but it might take us
several weeks to learn about the problem
and find out what he wants to do,” he
pointed out.
Commanding Priority
“Secondly, he can do jobs that just
wouldn’t get done because small projects —
those that take a week or a month — don’t
command a high priority in a central com¬
puting department.
“This is a perpetual problem of DP: a
department that’s good at executing large
projects that take a year usually isn’t good
at the small jobs that take a month,” he ex¬
plained.
“With time-sharing on the HP system,
we’ve solved that problem.”
Extended Its Philosophy
The company has extended its philosophy
of distributing the DP to 21 field plants
which use Datapoint 1 100s for data collec¬
tion, payroll and a scheduling application,
he stated.
Airco has been operating the HP mini for
about a year. It is a 128K machine with two
48M-byte disks.
The firm chose the system over the Digital
Equipment Corp. PDP- 11/70 because of
the software, Reed said.
Voltage Regulators
Control Miai Liaos
ADDISON, Ill. — Shape Magnetronics,
Inc. has a line of constant-voltage trans¬
formers for minicomputers designed to
keep the system supplied with regular
voltage despite power fluctuations, accord¬
ing to the firm.
Called the LT-2 Series Line Tamers, the
regulators were designed for equipment in
which line noise and power line surges
could cause errors or short disruptions
could produce loss of memory, the firm
stated.
The series produces regulated output
voltages of 120 V ac or 120 and 240 V ac.
The LT-2 transformers, rated at 2,000 VA
and below, are provided with dual output
recepticals, an on-off switch and an in¬
dicator light.
The units are UL listed and were designed
for 60 Hz operation, the company in¬
dicated. The transformers range from 500
to 7,500 VA.
A 750 VA unit costs $268 while a 2,000
VA unit costs $540 with quantity discounts
available.
The firm is at 815 Kay St., Addison, Ill.
60101.
Two Important Points
When you talk about leasing an IBM/370, you are on a fast track. Each leasing company claims it has the
best program for you. But does it? With over $200 Million of IBM/370 equipment on lease in the U.S. and
overseas, Alanthus’ customers are saving more than $17 Million annually. That’s a real winner!
Our leases are unmatched in flexibility. We can offer you a short operating lease, a long term financial lease,
or even a revolving lease. Working with you, we can custom tailor the lease program to suit your needs.
You win again!
Our lease documentation is easily read and understood. It consists of only four pages plus an equipment
schedule. Another winner!
Call the people from Alanthus. We have the lease program that’s best for you. We’re winners on any track.
ON ANY TRACK
HARD TO BEAT
WE'RE
Car Dealer Gets Good Mileage From In-House Mini
By Esther Surden
Of theCW Staff
BEACHWOOD, Ohio — A mini-
computer-based turnkey system at
Crestmont Cadillac here is helping this lux¬
ury car dealer deal with daily DP
headaches, according to the user.
“In the beginning of 1976, our company
was searching for an in-house alternative to
consolidating our DP needs,” Michael
Kurilec, controller, explained. The com¬
pany was using a service bureau and didn’t
like the idea of transmitting at night to get
the information in the morning, he said.
Compared Proposals
“We compared the proposals of several
minicomputer companies and finally
decided to install the Insight system from
Display Data Corp. of Hunt Valley, Md.,”
he noted. The selection process was
thorough, Kurilec added, with similar in¬
stallations visited.
“The vendor’s concept of single source re¬
sponsibility is the primary reason we have
enjoyed the success we have had to date,”
he said.
Hardware for the system includes a 48K
Microdata Corp. CPU, two lOM-byte disk
drive, four CRT display consoles and a 300
line/min printer. Display Data specializes
in the automobile dealership industry and
offers customized software to fit the firm’s
needs, he said.
Accounting Applications
The general ledger accounting system and
sales merchandising system was up in
March of 1976 with payroll and parts in¬
ventory control following. The system was
supported by the vendor from a branch of¬
fice established in Cleveland, Kurilec noted,
so “if we encounter any problems, we can
receive hardware or sofware support from
their local office with a minimum of delay.”
The multiple programming capability of
the system is a feature the company finds
attractive, he said. “It allows us to process
on a real-time basis in all departments.”
At the time of selection Crestmont made
the decision to buy a system larger than its
current needs. At present the company is
only using 50% of the potential storage
capacity. The system can be upgraded as
well, so the firm will never be caught short
with a too small system in the future.
( Continued from Page 41)
shared HP system in composing and
analyzing sales proposals to users of in¬
dustrial gases and in conducting plant-
location studies. In these studies, programs
written in Basic process economic and geo¬
graphic information about potential
customers and forecasts of production, dis¬
tribution and selling costs to identify the
“It is our belief that a small business can
save money by turning to an in-house mini.
We have enjoyed the benefits of processing
data at our own convenience, without
depending on an outside service bureau,”
he said.
The company plans to add more pro¬
grams including one for data communica¬
tions with General Motors Corp., Kurilec
said.
optimal location for new Airco plants.
“The important point here,” he said, “is
that we are using an HP 3000 for business
applications. HP has very good user pro¬
grams, including a financial-analysis
package, that were developed for HP 2000
systems. All of these can be run through a
converter program that adapts them to the
HP 3000s.
Dispersed DP Meets User’s Needs
February 28, 1977
fflCOMPUTERWORLD
Page 43
Forced Into Situation
Researchers Say Mixed-Vendor Site 'Not That Bad’
PALO ALTO, Calif. — Pushed into a
mixed-vendor situation by a minicomputer
manufacturer's inability to deliver, re¬
searchers at Stanford University’s School of
Earth Sciences here have found “it's not
that bad," according to Jon Claerbout, prd-
fessor of geophysics.
The university is doing research in sup¬
port of the petroleum prospecting industry
, sponsored by 25 different sources including
the U.S. and foreign governments, oil com¬
panies and petroleum exploration contrac¬
tors, Claerbout said.
The research is designed to improve geo¬
physical signal processing methods which in
turn determine the accuracy of reflection
seismograms — underground maps — that
indicate where to drill for oil, he explained.
The research is being done on a Digital
Equipment Corp. PDP-ll/34 with 32K. of
DEC memory and 92K of Standard
Memories, Inc. memory. The system uses a
System Industries Series 9500 disk system
to handle large capacity storage and runs
under Bell Laboratories’ Unix operating
system.
“When DEC simply couldn't deliver, we
got involved with more vendors,”
Claerbout said. “We have some very skilled
young people here," so maintenance of the
mixed-vendor system is not a problem.
“I'd be in trouble if I had to do it myself,”
he noted.
Another by-product of the mixed system
has been cost savings. Claerbout estimated
he saved about $30,000 by going to a mixed
system and noted he couldn’t have afforded
both the increased memory and the addi¬
tional disk if he had waited for the vendor
to deliver.
Time-Shared System
The minicomputer system is being used on
a time-sharing basis, with seven terminals
handling chores such as student research
training, in addition to the signal processing
project.
Research assistant Bob Mathews believes
the minicomputer, making full use of the
large-capacity disk storage, could support
up to 12 terminals with people doing
medium-level programming.
“Time-sharing has become an important
product of this system," Mathews pointed
out. “One of the reasons we purchased a big
disk was because we had a good time¬
sharing operating system to support it.”
There were other considerations in their
choice of a disk storage system, however.
Lor one thing, they required a disk with
high transfer speeds as well as large
capacity.
“It's important that the disk be fast, be
R0 Capability Added
To Datapoiat Printer
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Datapoint
Corp. has added a serial interface to its
Freedom printer to allow the unit to be
used in a receive-only (RO) mode.
The printer, which is used with Datashare,
the firm's business time-sharing system,
uses a 5 by 7 dot matrix to impact print a
96-char, set with upper and lower case.
Up to 132 columns can be printed on stan¬
dard sprocket-fed paper and up to six-part
forms may be used, the firm said. A
biopolar microprocessor controls printing.
Variable Speed
The printer with the RS-232C Ascii in¬
terface has a variable speed depending on
the number of characters on each line. It
will print from 25- to 425 line/min at 150-
to 9,600 bit/sec, using an asynchronous
format, the firm slated.
It costs $3,950 or can be leased for
$l30/mo on a two-year basis, including
maintenance, the firm said from 9725 Data¬
point Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78284.
able to swap huge data images from core
memory very quickly," Mathews noted.
“The System Industries disk is considerably
faster at swapping full-size core images than
most disks available."
Installation of the controller and disk
drive took only “a few hours" according to
John Nickolls, another electrical engineer¬
ing graduate student working in conjunc¬
tion with Claerbout on the signal process¬
ing project.
“It ran immediately," Nickolls said. “We
spent only a day and a half debugging the
driver, and it was ready."
Nickolls indicated that students and
researchers alike have been pleased by the
performance of the System Industries disk
storage system.
“The reliability of this hardware has been
just tremendous," he commented.
Stanford University graduate students working at mixed-vendor system.
Attention: Business Computer Distributors
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Start with the broadest choice of
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Using 3 of the most reliable,
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mainframes. The Digital Computer
“16” series. Already proven in
over 9000 installations. /
Add the broadest line of disk
systems, CRT terminals, workstations
and printers. Designed and tested
to operate together in nearly
limitless combinations.
Add operating systems. Application
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Training programs and maintenance
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Put it together with one company “
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End up with systems with a difference.
Systems that can be scaled up with¬
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We’re still adding the most important
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Page 44
COMPUTERWORLD
6A Extends Instruction Set
ANAHEIM, Calif. — General Automation, Inc. has extended its GA-16/440 in¬
struction set with a control store expansion module said to provide a repertoire of
byte string and decimal arithmetic instructions.
The 14 byte string instructions are a superset of the long format repertoire offered
on the IBM 370, a spokesman claimed.
The byte string capabilities are useful in communications environments, routing
handling and increasing the speed of code conversion, message header identification
and related operations.
The nine decimal arithmetic instructions are designed for use in business and com¬
mercial DP applications and are not interruptable, the spokesman said.
The Macropack control store expansion module costs $5,000 from GA at 1055 S.
East St. Anaheim, Calif. 92805.
the pai
SoftWa.
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NORM DE NARDI PRESENTS:
THE 1977
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February 28, 1977
HP Plotter Selects Four Colors
The 9872A features four-color plotting,
seven dashed-line fonts, user-defined
characters and symbol mode plotting to
produce easy-to-read plots, the company
said.
It was designed for use in applications
where curves and plots are difficult to dis¬
tinguish.
The 9872s microprocessor has 38 instruc¬
tions including point digitizing, labeling
and character sizing directly through the
plotter’s HP-IB interface.
The motor drive system provides ad¬
dressable moves as small as .0025mm with
no reduction in writing speed. Resolution is
,008mm and writing speed reaches
360mm/sec in each axis, HP added.
The 9872 is to be used with HP 9825 and
9831 desktop computers and is priced at
$4,200.
Deliveries will begin in April from the
firm at 1501 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto,
Calif. 94304.
Pushpo Ups Interdata Addressing
WESTMINSTER, Calif. — Pushpa pany claimed.
Memories has introduced an option for its PM9800 65-KB memory cards for In¬
single-card core memory system that terdata computers with the enhancement
enhances the main memory addressing ca- option are available within four weeks,
pability of all Interdata Corp. 16-bit The cards cost $4,000 and the enhance-
systems, according to the firm. ment option is an additional $2,000, the
The logical address enhancement scheme firm said from 14142 Ipswitch St.,
for the PM9800 65K-byte core memory can Westminster, Calif. 92683.
increase the Interdata main memory ad¬
dressing capacity from the present 65K.
bytes to a maximum of 544K. bytes, the firm
claimed.
Using the Pushpa cards this enhancement
is accomplished under software control
with no hardware changes in the host com-
uters or their chassis, according to a
spokesman.
Interdata Compatibility
The feature is compatible with Interdata
operating systems and allows users to ex¬
pand their 16-bit system capabilities
without changing to 32-bit models, he ad¬
ded.
It also helps those users who require
system expansion and are unable to transfer
to 32-bit machines because of system in¬
compatibilities in the two series, the com-
IDI Has Turnkey Unit
For Drafting, Design
ELMSFORD, N.Y. — Information Dis¬
plays, Inc. (IDI) has introduced the IDI 150
system, a minicomputer-based, stand-alone
turnkey unit designed for interactive
graphics applications.
The refresh tube continually “refreshes”
the image it projects on the CRT and gives
the draftsman the advantage of working on
a continuous-motion field, the firm said.
Drawings and modifications can be made
on the screen, without strikeovers or
erasures, IDI stated. Visual models can also
be shown and their motion simulated to test
alternative designs.
Once the drawing is completed, the IDI
150 creates a hard copy on its high speed
plotter.
Basic Components
The basic model (150/B32) includes a dis¬
play system with a 21 -in. display console
and a light pen, an alpha-numeric keyboard
and 32K functional keyboard.
It also has a display controller, a 32K
graphic display ^processor, a 2.5M-byte
disk, a 128K. word floppy disk, a plotter
and an ASR33 teletypewriter.
Software for the system includes IDEs
Higher, Time-sharing Operating System, an
Idraw system software, Fortran source data
and documentation.
The system also includes manuals, one
week operating training and installation.
The system costs $139,000 or can be
leased on a monthly rental plan from the
firm at 150 Clearbrook Rd., Elmsford,
N.Y. 10523.
DataCorrm
7/7/
Washington
is where it’s at!
Want to know how other
datacomm users and con¬
sultants solve problems?
Come to DataComm 77,
Sheraton Park Hotel, Wash¬
ington, D.C., March 9-11,
1977. Leading users will be
on hand to brief you on ways
they put datacomm to work.
Here are some of the
speakers:
R.E. Smith, Publisher, Privacy Journal
C.G. Utt, V.P. Russell Information Sciences
R. Gruber, Pres., Cambridge Telecommunica¬
tions Inc.
J.D. Markov, Mgr., Networking Architecture,
IBM
R.M. Franklin, Mgr., Planning & Development
(Telecommunications), Atlantic Richfield
Co.
R.E. Gibbs, Executive Director, Nercomp Inc.
F.B. Buell, Chief, National Crime Information
Center, FBI
J.L. Hughes, V.P., First National City Bank
B. D. Waxman, Dir., Div. of Health Care Infor¬
mation Systems, U.S. Dept, of Health Educa¬
tion & Welfare
W.R. Hinchman, Chief, Common Carrier Bu¬
reau, FCC
J.M. Eger, Esq., Attorney, Lamb, Eastman &
Keats
Dr. M.R. Irwin, Professor of Economics, Uni¬
versity of New Hampshire
C. M. Huntley, Dir. of Teleprocessing, Conti¬
nental Airlines
L. Van Deerlin, (D-CA) House Subcommittee
on Communications
And, there are many more. Including representatives of
Government agencies who will fill you in on legislative
and regulatory matters every datacomm user should
know about. For more information, write DataComm 77,
60 Austin Street. Newtonville, MA 02160. Or call our
Toll-Free Hot Line 1-800-225-3232. (In Mass, and Canada
call 617-964-4550 collect).
DataComm 77 is organized by the Association of Data Communica¬
tions Users. Auerbach Publishers, Computer & Communications
Industry Association, Canadian Datasystems, Computer Decisions,
Compvterworld, DataComm User, Datamation, and Infosystems.
DataCorrm Vfl
Where the action is!
Congressman
Lionel Van Deer¬
lin (D-CA) Chair¬
man, House Sub¬
committee on
Communications
Keynote
PALO ALTO, Calif. — Hewlett-Packard
has introduced an X/Y plotter for its
desktop systems that under program con¬
trol, selects any of four different colored
pens.
HP 9872a X/Y Plotter
m
Ik
; • ;
■W..'i&. O
ITEL DISK DRIVES
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.V .'V
NOW YOU CAN PICK ONE
AND GEiTHE WHOLE BUNCH.
rz^'' I . ••
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rr-
That's right. Our 7330-10,
7330-11 and 7330-12 disk drives
are field upgradable from the
smallest to the largest system. So
when you have one, you really
have them all. For example, when
you upgrade our 7330-10 to a
7330-12, it's like going from an
IBM 3330-1 to a 3350— without
giving up media interchangeabil¬
ity. When you're ready to upgrade,
all you need to do is call one of
our field engineers. And Itel has
the largest independent field
engineering service in the country.
In addition, Itel now
offers you another alter¬
native in disk drives—
our new 7350, which is
compatible with IBM's
3350 and includes the
Fixed Head feature. Of
course, ail our disk
drives have the exclusive Dual-
Port feature plus Itel's patented
Advanced Function Capability.
Add the fastest access time cur¬
rently available, and you can
increase throughput up to 25%.
Like all Itel data products, our
disk drives and control units are
plug-compatible, offering you
superior performance at a lower
cost. After all, reliable, econom¬
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all about. Not only in computer
peripherals, but in field
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in total computer
capability.
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alternatives today—
and later, you may want the
whole bunch.
□ON
Data Products Group
One Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, California 94111
Telephone (415) 983-0000
, :"-V
Page 46
BCOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
UK Firm Gains Inventory Control With Two Minis
HAYDOCK, England — The
M6 Cash and Carry Warehouse, a
wholesale cash-and-carry
warehousing firm here, is using
two minicomputers to gain con¬
trol over its stock and purchasing
operations.
A third mini for on-line control
of point-of-sale (POS) data
recorders will be operational later
this year, the firm said.
The firm decided to consider
minicomputers because of its
rapid turnover of stock. Split into
four divisions — supplying
groceries; wines, spirits and
tobacco; hardware and fancy
goods; and furnishings — the
company has a turnover of about
$23 million worth of goods each
year, according to Alan Bryant,
managing director.
Supplier Deliveries
Another area needing greater
control was deliveries from sup¬
pliers. Deliveries did not always
arrive exactly as ordered and were
difficult to check, he said.
Labeling of the stock also pre¬
sented problems, Bryant added.
The present price labels on goods
contain a bar code which is read
by light pen at the checkout termi¬
nals.
The present code, however, does
not allow for a description of the
goods to be included, so labels
which have been placed on the
wrong items cannot be identified.
The Data General Corp. Nova^
based POS system will deal with
this problem, Bryant said.
Stock Control
The main stock control and
order processing system is run on
a Nova 1200 and is accessed via 12
CRTs and four printer terminals.
Stock files are held on three 2.5M-
byte disk drives.
Terminals are installed in the of¬
fices of the chief buyers of each of
the firm's four divisions. When
reordering from a particular sup¬
plier, the buyer calls up details of
all the supplier’s stock lines, which
cap be printed or displayed on the
CRT.
This gives full details of each
stock line, including price, present
stock level, previous reorder date
and quantity and rate of sale since
then, Bryant said.
Having decided to reorder quan¬
tities for each line, the buyer
specifies them on the CRT,
together with the expected
delivery date. This date is re¬
corded by the system and a copy
is printed out as an order for the
supplier’s representative.
The system also ensures the
goods delivered and invoiced cor¬
respond to those ordered, Bryant
said. Each day, a list of deliveries
due is printed and passed to the
delivery bays.
Orders Extracted
This allows the appropriate
orders to be extracted and mat¬
ched to the delivery notes as goods
arrive. Thus unwanted goods can
be spotted immediately and
returned to the suppliers.
Once they have been matched to
deliveries, the orders are sent to
the general office, where they are
again input to the Nova and used
to update the stock records.
In addition, a record of
deliveries is kept on magnetic
tape. This is printed out at the end
of each day as a check on the day’s
transactions a.nd is also used to
update the purchase ledger
system, which is held on the firm’s
second system, he said.
Incoming invoices are matched
to order records by the second
system and, once approved, are
passed to the accounting depart¬
ments in each division of the com¬
pany for payment.
POS at Checkout
The final step in controlling the
stock through its life in the store
is achieved by the use of POS ter¬
minals at the checkout points.
These record details of customers’
purchases, using bar codes on the
price labels which are read by light
pens.
The information, recorded on
magnetic tape cassettes, is used to
update the stock files twice daily.
The present system, which uses
Pitney- Bowes terminals, is to be
replaced by a Nova 3-based
system in 1977, Bryant said.
Off-Line Reports
Additional, off-line reports pro¬
duced by the systems include daily
stock level statements for each
warehouse, accumulated monthly
sales figures, outstanding orders
and monthly sales and profit
statements by supplier.
A customer file holds details of
sales to each customer, which are
made available to the warehouse’s
sales representatives, Bryant
noted.
MAY
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A total multi-tasking/re-entrant
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Also Available: Teleprinters, Line Print¬
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WRITE:
BUSINESS SYSTEMS A TERMINALS
P.O. Box 28 - Barrington. N.H. 03825
Marty Jarosz - (603) 868-2432
EDUCATIONAL - OEM DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE
BAUDY BRIGHT
AND WHAT
A MEMORY
Two to ten pages of total recoil -now available on our "beauty with
brains"-the Omron 8030 CRT Terminal. The 8030s multi page refresh
memory option will store and retrieve up to 19,200 characters for instant
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And don't overlook the 8030's other features. It's 8080 based and 9600
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So when you're specifying CRT Terminals, remember Omron. OMRON
Corporation of America, Information Products Division, 432 Toyama Drive,
j Sunnyvale, Californio 94086 (408) 734-8400.
Loveot
first sight
Page 47
February 28, 1977
Computerworld
COMPUTER INDUSTRY
i
'
Supershorts
[DC Study Points to Trend
User Loyalty, Shipments Decline in 76
U.S. Semi Sales Set Record
PALO ALTO, Calif. — U.S. semiconduc¬
tor makers' sales set a record in 1976
reaching $3.4 billion, up 31% from the 1975
total, according to figures released by the
Western Electronic Manufacturers Associa¬
tion (Wema).
For the year, integrated circuits outsold
discretes $2 billion to $1.4 billion, Wema
said.
December sales were especially strong,
totaling $322 million. They reflected con¬
tinued strength in U.S. markets and the best
month of the year in Western Europe.
Japan and other international markets were
relatively weak, according to Wema.
Total U.S. orders for the year accounted
for $2.3 billion, with $1.8 billion of this in
the OEM market, according to the figures.
CDC Sot to Maintain
Mini Gear Sold to OEMs
MINNEAPOLIS — Control Data Corp.
is offering a nationwide equipment main¬
tenance program designed for system
houses, other vendors and end users of
minicomputer-based systems that incor¬
porate its OEM peripheral products.
The service, provided by a CDC main¬
tenance organization. Syntonic Technol¬
ogy, is available in the metropolitan areas
of New York City, Boston, Philadelphia,
Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Products currently covered include the
CDC 9760 and 9762 storage module drives,
9380 band printer family and 92451 and
92452 CRT/keyboard display terminals.
WALTHAM, Mass. — A curious correla¬
tion between shipments and vendor loyalty
appears to be pervasive in the computer in¬
dustry.
In 1974, when shipments of general-
purpose computers were at an all-time high,
user loyalty was also at a high, according to
International Data Corp. (IDC), a market
research firm here.
In 1975 and 1976, however, shipments de¬
clined — and so did loyalty.
Despite this increase in vendor desertion,
only about one in every eight users at
single-vendor sites installing a computer
during 1975 or 1976 swapped vendors, with
most of the activity taking place in the
smaller size classes where conversion is less
traumatic, IDC said in its ED P/ Industry-
Report (EDP/IR).
“Migration trends across the entire base
also continued; less than a fourth of U.S.
sites chose to change mainframes at all,”
IDC noted.
“Some merely replaced old CPUs with
other old CPUs — bargain hunting in the
used computer marketplace — but most
were probably taking advantage of the bet¬
ter price/performance of new systems,”
IDC indicated.
“Dollar figures reveal a smaller net dollar
gain than might be expected, with the
average value of systems removed closer to
that of systems installed. This is indicative
of the better performance available, of less
need for quantum upgrades of computer
room capability and, perhaps, of a shift to
distributed processing," EDP/IR stated.
Past investments in hardware made it
more difficult for users to switch mainframe
vendors, IDC found. This means most of
the “camp switching” took place in the pe¬
ripherals and software packages markets, it
explained.
By vendor, IDC found:
• “IBM led the pack in 1975 at single¬
vendor sites, but lost to Burroughs in
1976.”
• “Burroughs maintained its heady lead
in the non-IBM crowd. Burroughs had by
far the biggest percentage gain in installed
value at new and loyal sites.”
• “Univac continued its climb out of the
cellar in single-vendor site loyalty and com¬
petitiveness."
• “NCR, armed with a product line of
lesser breadth, remained stable if lacklus¬
ter.”
• “With many of its older systems being
retired, Honeywell is having its problems.
But the company had the smallest percent¬
age of its user pool migrate.”
Financial Data Base Services
Doubling by ’81, Input Predicts
By Frank Yaughan
Of the CW Staff
MENLO PARK, Calif. — The market for
financial and economic data base-related
services will grow from $153 million in 1976
to $373 million by 1981, representing a
major business opportunity for computer
services companies, according to a study by
Input, a market research firm here.
The market for data base subscription
(DBS), financial and economic remote
computing (Fere) and econometric consult-
Dataroyal, Inc. has retained ICE, Inc. of
Elmhurst, Ill., to provide third-party main¬
tenance on its label and data printers.
On-Line Systems, Inc. is engaged in final
negotiations with the U.S. Senate Subcom¬
mittee on Computer Services for a three-
year contract to operate a Correspondence
Management System for the Senate.
Stockholders of Advanced Memory
Systems, Inc. (AMS) and Intersil, Inc. have
approved the merger of Intersil with and
into AMS. As part of the merger, AMS
changed its name to Intersil, Inc. Orien L.
Hoch, AMS president, will serve as presi¬
dent and chief executive officer of the new
company.
Market for Hoaie/Hobby Uaits
Growiag at Aaaual 37%: VDC
By Toni Wiseman
Of the CW Staff
WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass. — Pur¬
chases of computers and related products
for home use will increase at an average
37.2% annual rate in the 1976-1981 period,
according to a recent study by Venture De¬
velopment Corp. (VDC).
The total home/hobby market for com¬
puters, peripherals and software will reach
$53.1 million this year, up 44.8% from
1 976’s $33.7 million, the study said.
By 1981, the market will grow to about
$178.7 million, it noted.
A “home computer revolution” will not
occur until two conditions are met, VDC
suggested. First, there must be a widespread
appreciation of the computer’s capabilities
in terms of the consumer’s own capabilities
and cange of applications.
Second, there must be an awareness of
need consistent with what the consumer is
prepared to spend for a machine that he
believes is capable of performing those ap¬
plications.
Both of these conditions require the devel¬
opment of a new kind of computer, one that
VDC called the “home computer,” as dif¬
ferentiated from hobby and industrial-type
computers used in the home.
Sales of all types of mainframes to the
home market will increase from 17,458
units in 1976 to 75,609 units in 1981, an
( Continued on Page 52 )
ing (EC) services lies principally within
large institutions in banking and finance,
manufacturing and government, Input said.
Banking and finance represents approx¬
imately one-half of the market, the study
noted.
A substantial demand exists for these
services by smaller concerns, but at current
prices they cannot afford to buy data base
services via remote access and are con¬
strained to paper services.
The report suggested that if remote com¬
puting costs can be diminished, the market
could be expanded even further. If prices
cannot be lowered, remote computing
services (RCS) vendors should offer
transaction pricing rather than use charges,
allowing customers to budget better and
obtain easier approvals, Input added.
It is not necessary for RCS vendors to de¬
velop their own data bases, Input contend¬
ed, because the “pull through” revenues for
RCS related to data base usage are 10 times
the revenues ascribed to rental of the data
base itself.
Market Characteristics
In an analysis of the market characteris¬
tics, the study said all services except finan¬
cial inquiry services (FIS) are growing at
over 20% per year. In 1976, EC, Fere and
DBS services accounted for 48% of the
overall market and will grow to 69% by
1981, Input predicted.
The largest slice of the market for finan¬
cial and economic data base-related services
will go to Fere, accounting for nearly half,
(Continued on Page 48)
A.
<b° *
<£ <$■
InScl Headquarters 95 Chestnut Ridge Road Montvale NJ 07645 201391-1600
Memphis TN 901 76,1-1845 Menlo Park CA 415 854-1903 Newport Beach CA 714 752-7672 Oak Brook IL 312 986-6460 Raleigh NC 919 781-6095 San Antonio TX 512 690-0110 West Palm Beach FL 305 689-8777
Member SIA Software Industry Association
Page 48
BCOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
Keane Associates, Inc.
Just one of the many leading companies you'll see at
COMPUTER l l
EXPOTlf •
Keane Associates has been selected by Computerworld as the service
organization to provide & support the data processing requirements
of the Computer Caravan. In addition, Keane will be joining the tour
at Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Washington & Boston.
Representatives of Keane would welcome the opportunity to discuss
their credentials & qualifications as one of the nation's leading sup¬
pliers of system service to the EDP marketplace.
Organized by:
The national computer exposition that's coming to you.
797 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02160
(617) 965-5800.
San Francisco * Los Angeles • Cleveland • Minneapolis/St. Paul
• New York • Philadelpia • Washington. D.C. • Boston. Starts March 29th.
COMPUTER
CARAVAN .
nwm*
Chicago
Financial Data
Seen Doubling
( Continued from Page 47)
or $180 million, of user expenditures by
1981.
At the same time, DBS revenues will be
$22 million, only about 11% of the com¬
bined DBS and Fere revenues.
The “value added” by providing access to
data bases over networks will account for
89% of each revenue dollar, the report
noted.
Financial and economic data base users,
except FIS, tend to be concentrated among
the largest industrials (Fortune 300), large
banks and insurance companies, the top 10
thrift institutions and government agencies.
If fees for RCS drop or if more data bases
are offered irt “pieces” so users can buy
only what they need, smaller companies will
also enter the market, the report predicted.
An overview of the EC picture showed the
incoterm:
Blyth Eastman Dillon and Co., Inc.,
processes several million transactions a
year: in stock brokerage; investment
counseling; municipal and corporate
investment banking; syndicate underwrit¬
ing and real estate. It adds up to billions
of dollars a year — several millions of
dollars every working hour.
BEDCO required a fast and reliable
system to handle all that information.
Traditional methods would generate
millions of pieces of paper. Response
time would be measured in hours and
days instead of seconds. Many facts
would become obsolete before they
became available.
BEDCO chose INCOTERM for terminal
support: in the branches and in the home
office where timely information guides
major investment decisions . . . with full
control, on line and in real time.
INCOTERM helps speed administrative
traffic, process orders, generate billing,
retrieve money line data, transmit
capital market data, produce quotations
from an in-house quotation system, and
control the distribution of underwriting
information.
INCOTERM Intelligent Terminals provide
the power and flexibility to give each
branch in the BEDCO system an impor¬
tant competitive edge ... in efficiency,
in customer service, in speed and in
cost per transaction.
INCOTERM can do the same things for
you. Why not write or call for details.
More power
to your
terminal.
/A/core^tM
65 Walnut Street, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts 02181 Telephone (617) 237-2100.
Sales and customer service offices in major cities throughout the United States and abroad.
How Blyth Eastman Dillon moves
millions of dollars an hour:
Base Services
in Five Years
RCS portion of the total EC services
market will grow from 47% in 1976 to 59%
in 1981, a result of the continuing shift from
printed reports to on-line data base access.
The EC services market share is growing at
23% and is expected to continue at this rate
throughout the forecast period.
The primary EC service users are financial
institutions — just under 50% of the market
— and corporate financial organizations of
large industrial corporations — 25% of that
market. Government agencies are report¬
edly not large users of EC services but are
large users of RCS utilizing financial
systems.
The weighted annual average expenditure
by a single client for EC services where RCS
are not used is $7,000, according to Input.
If RCS are used, the figure is $17,000.
The vendor features users consider the
most important are data base scope, nature
of the access tools and network availability,
the study found.
In contrast to the economic remote com¬
puting market, which is limited to only the
largest organizations, the Fere market en¬
compasses at least the top 500 industrial
corporations, banks with $100 million or
more in assets and thrift institutions with
$250 million in deposits, providing a broad
market base.
Fere services are offered by a relatively
large number — over 10 — of RCS ven¬
dors, some of whom specialize in specific
applications or industry areas. No single
vendor has more than a 30% market share,
Input found.
The average annual expenditure for RCS
is $74,000, and user expenditures for Fere
are showing an average annual growth rate
of 29%, according to Input’s report.
Financial and economic DBS revenues
derived from RCS usage were $6 million in
1976 and are projected to grow to $22
million in 1981. Over 80% of RCS-related
DBS revenues come directly from end
users, either through direct customer bill¬
ings or passed on by the RCS vendor.
The balance of the revenues comes from
RCS vendor license fees.
The customer base for DBS is the same as
that for Fere, Input said.
The marketplace for DBS is widely
divided with more than 15 companies com¬
peting and with no single vendor holding
more than 20%, the report said.
The FIS market, which totaled $80
million in 1976, is growing at 7.5% yearly
and should reach $115 million by 1981, it
added. -
FIS users are exclusively money
managers, including brokerage houses
(75%), institutional investors (20%), large
corporations (3%) and government (2%).
The FIS business has had a relatively slow
growth, but the potential for expanded and
related services may be substantial, accord¬
ing to the report, because many FIS buyers
are also EC and Fere customers.
DG Acquires DCC
SOUTHBORO, Mass. — Digital Com¬
puter Controls, Inc.(DCC) stockholders ap¬
proved the merger of that firm and Data
General Corp.
DCC has become a wholly owned subsidi¬
ary of DG.
The agreements provide for an exchange
of stock on the basis of one share of DCC
for .1688 share of DG common.
Data Magnetics Forms Unit
TORRANCE, Calif. — In preparation
for the introduction of a line of digital tape
heads. Data Magnetics Corp. has formed a
separate Tape Products Division to handle
the manufacturing and marketing of the
line.
Correction
Basic/Four Corp. will begin shipping
CPUs overseas by this spring [CW, Jan.
31]-
February 28, 1977
COMPUTERWORLD
Page 49
Ends Semiconductor Operations
Cambridge Memories Says Debt Now 'Manageable’
By Molly Upton
Of the CW Staff
BEDFORD, Mass. — Cambridge
Memories, Inc.’s (CM I) recovery since a
group of banks called in their loans last
summer has been faster than anyone expec¬
ted, according to President Joseph Kruy.
The firm has reduced its debt to a “man¬
ageable” $1.6 million from $17 million
through operating earnings and proceeds
from the sale of its U.S. lease base. CMI’s
positive cash flow is funding new product
developments as well as reducing debt, he
added.
Recent orders for add-on memories have
come from both old and new customers in
a ratio of about 50-50, he said. With users’
increasing memory requirements, the
average system now being ordered from
CMI is 512K bytes compared with about
300K bytes a year ago, he noted.
“That increase, I think, is one indication
of continuing customer confidence in Cam¬
bridge,” he said.
CMI currently has a base of about 40
purchased systems atttached to IBM
machines and some Digital Equipment
Corp. PDP-lls and Decystem-lOs. The
firm plans to remain in the IBM market¬
place and expects installations on DEC
machines to comprise about 15% to 20% of
its base.
Cause of Crunch
What caused CMI’s fiscal crunch? Kruy
said the firm had gone too fast in a number
of directions.
For instance, the firm handled its own
lease paper rather than going through a
third party. “This appeared OK as depreci¬
ation was within three or four years; after
that it would have been clear profit. But due
to the recession, the rate of growth slowed
down, and we never got there,” Kruy said.
Research and development expenditures
were also a drain.
CMI has discontinued its semiconductor
and domain tip (DOT) technology opera¬
tions and now buys its semiconductor chips
from other sources, he said. The DOT yield
simply wasn’t great enough to justify pro¬
duction, he explained.
BASF, its European licensee, is still work¬
ing on the DOT, and CMI will have rights
to any future developments in that field,
Kruy said.
CMI originally began work on semicon¬
ductors because there were no suppliers of
chips suitable for IBM memories. “We
thought we had to develop them ourselves,
for backup if nothing else. At that time the
semiconductor companies were slanted to
consumer goods such as calculators and
products for autos,” Kruy said.
While CMI’s margins today may not be as
Calif. Association Formed
For Electronics Makers
great as those of companies making their
own chips, Kruy said the semi costs of a
memory are only about one-quarter of the
total costs. Some semiconductor houses are
also buying chips from other sources, he
noted.
The selling price of a system depends on
the features, such as user flexibility, which
the firm has tended to offer, he said.
After the banks shut down the CMI for
about a week last August while refinancing
occured, the firm had about 53 employees
[CW, Aug. 2], but this number is now up to
1 10 and some of the firm’s key people are
returning, Kruy said.
In addition, the firm is also doing work
through subcontractors. Raytheon Service
Co. provides service for the CMI’s base, so
there was no disruption to customers dur¬
ing the financing arrangements.
CMI plans to introduce new products this
year, Kruy said. “We intend to stay in the
add-on memory market and among the
leaders,” he said.
But “because it is hard to say what IBM
will do, anyone who isn’t thinking what he
will do in three to four years in other areas
other than the add-on memory business is
making a mistake,” he added.
Among the products CMI Plans to in¬
troduce is a buffer management system that
works with a dynamic address translation
(DAT) box on an IBM 370/155 and speeds
up the CPU 7% to 16% by helping the pag¬
ing function, Kruy said.
Basically CMI will provide an algorithm
that increases the hit ratio in the cache
buffer, so the next piece of information
wanted by the CPU is more likely to be in
the faster cache memory than out in main
memory, he said.
The system works on other manufac¬
turers’ memories as well as CMI’s and
IBM’s, he observed.
In addition, there is a switch to reconvert
the system to IBM specifications so it is
transparent to maintenance personnel as
well as programmers, he said.
Regarding future memory developments,
Kruy said he sees the bubble coming in as
replacement for disks. CMI will be in a
good position to take advantage of bubbles
because it has the systems expertise working
with sequentially oriented memories from
its experience with the DOT, he said.
If the yields are good on bubbles, they will
be cheaper than charge-coupled devices, he
said.
But bubbles lack the speed to be com¬
petitive with main memory, he added.
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The president is James J. Conway; Walter
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Many of the officers were formerly em¬
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The Electronics Association is at 410
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Marketing Firm Formed
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Page 50
HICOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
THE “SYSTEM”
The software systems house business is rough and tough, an extremely
competitive marketplace. One with little margin for error. Century
Computer Corporation has been in business only a few years. Yet,
more and more software systems houses are becoming Century Com¬
puter sales representatives. WHY?
□ TOOLS. Up to 512K internal storage. Up to 256 ports. 10 to 300M disc
drives. 200 to 600 LPM printers. Powerful operating system software,
comprehensive programming languages. Turn-key applications
packages.
□ RELIABILITY! Century Computer’s mainframe maintenance is free!
Period. Now that’s quality. Quality only we provide. The others say
they do, then turn around and charge $150 to $350 per month for
mainframe maintenance. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
□ SUPPORT. Complete documentation, both hardware and software.
Thorough training for operators, programmers, and maintenance per¬
sonnel. National and local advertising. Ongoing research and devel¬
opment, aimed at increasing efficiency and reducing costs.
□ VALUE. Century Computer’s O.E.M. prices are low, extremely com¬
petitive. Coupled with our free mainframe maintenance, low initial
cost makes Century Computer Corporation systems easily the best
values ever. Bar none.
Why not hook up with a winning combination? Unlock the door to
systems sales you had to turn down because of price considerations.
Contact: Steve Sharrock, Century Computer Corporation, 2339 Stan-
well Circle, Concord, Ca. 94520, (415) 798-8000.
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’67 Study Found CDC Strengths
Then Outweighed Weaknesses
NEW YORK — Control Data Corp.’s
strengths outnumbered its weaknesses, ac¬
cording to a 1967 report from IBM’s
Market Evaluation Department which has
been entered into evidence at the U.S. vs.
IBM antitrust trial.
But CDC’s vulnerabilities were substan¬
tial, the report indicated.
IBM Trial
Documents
IBM found CDC’s strengths were:
• A high degree of hardware expertise,
which had been demonstrated.
• An image which “returned to lofty
levels.”
• “An extensive peripheral equipment
line which on balance is good.”
• An improving marketing organization.
• “A revenue base which [was] becoming
less dependent on computer systems —
space/defense, OEM, data centers and
education for profit.”
• A market potential which was growing
at a rapid rate.
Open to the Public
NEW YORK — While the U.S. vs.
IBM trial occupies Courtroom 110 in
the Federal Courthouse in Foley Square
here, Room 325 provides space in which
to peruse transcripts and documents en¬
tered as evidence in the case.
Staffed by representatives of both IBM
and the Justice Department, Room 325
is open from 1 1 a.m. to 5 p.m. five days
a week.
• “A rental/service base which [was]
providing an increasing degree of stability.”
But CDC’s product cost was still 69% of
revenue, and the company had deferred ex¬
penses amounting to $18.9 million. It was
thus vulnerable to:
• A significant reduction in order rates.
• A major swing toward lease: “Ship¬
ments by our estimates are 50-50 and not
the 68-32 lease/purchase ratio the company
quotes when referring to incoming orders.”
• The effect of possible severe technical
difficulties.
• Impact on the installed rental base.
Expansions
HP Group's Futilities Grow
CUPERTINO, Calif. — Hewlett-Packard
Co.’s Computer Systems Group has ex¬
panded its headquarters facilities here with
the addition of 172,000 sq ft.
This provides a central location for the
Data Terminals Division, formerly located
in several buildings here.
Other Moves
Shugart Associates has moved to a 60,000
sq-ft building in Oakmead Village In¬
dustrial Park in Sunnyvale, Calif.
Keane Associates, Inc. has opened a
branch sales and service office in Washing¬
ton, D.C.
Health Care Computer Systems, Ltd.,
specializing in DP services for the health
care field, has relocated to larger offices in
suites A8 and A9, Benjamin Fox Pavillion,
Jenkintown, Pa. 19046.
Mechanics Research, Inc. has moved into
the facilities of its parent corporation.
System Development Corp., at 2500 Col¬
orado Ave., Santa Monica, Calif. 90496.
Savings Association Central Corp., which
provides DP services to the savings and
loan industry, has moved to 11211 S. La
Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90045.
The Hartford Insurance Group’s Pacific
Division Processing Center will be located in
the Interland Executive Park, 2001 Oak
Grove Road, Walnut Creek, Calif.
Network Systems Corp. has moved its
general offices and manufacturing opera¬
tions to 6820 Shingle Creek Parkway,
Brooklyn Center, Minn. 55430.
National CSS, Inc. has entered into a
30-year lease and purchase agreement for
land in Wilton, Conn., the future site of a
70,000 sq-ft headquarters building.
Computek, Inc. has moved to expanded
facilities at 63 Second Ave., Burlington,
Mass. 01803.
60/370, Burroughs, Honeywell end Univec. ERISA
isigned, installed and running, coast to coast, safe-
e pensions of more than one million workers and
he careers of their managers.
• : V , /:;/ ? .
>n ERISA, call Joe Nestor (617) 851-4111, Wang
i, Lowell, MA 01851. In California, call Carl
I
• T
i
.
Page 51
February 28, 1977
raCOMPUTERWORLD
IBM Reversed Its View of CDCs Destiny in 1966
- By Molly Upton
Of the CW Staff
| NEW YORK — IBM’s Market Evalua¬
tion Department performed an about face
in its appraisal of Control Data Corp.’s
surviyal chances after seeing CDC’s im¬
proved financial results for fiscal 1967.
IBM management should “consider CDC
a doubtful situation,” according to a
1966 IBM report.” CDC “must begin to
operate more efficiently, reduce product
st, secure financing and prepare for the
ture in order to succeed.
“With present management and no
side assistance, we believe the odds are
than 50-50 that the job will get done,”
iie report told management.
But in an October 1967 report, the market
study team predicted CDC “will continue
: a major factor in the DP industry.”
The reports indicated CDC would be fac¬
ing increasingly stiff competition from Un-
vac and Scientific Data Systems (SDS).
Also, specialized markets, such as data
luisition-process control, were gaining
more entrants.
The documents were entered as evidence
by the Justice Department in its antitrust
case against IBM:
Must Resolve Difficulties
The earlier report stated “CDC, now in a
more vulnerable position than ever, must
resolve severe operating and financial dif¬
ficulties while facing increasingly stiff com¬
petition.
“In our opinion,- they will not be suc¬
cessful in their present form. A top manage¬
ment change, an outside takeover, or a
reduction of operation will occur in the next
three years,” the report predicted.
' It was imperative that CDC reduce its
“out of control, extremely high cost of
goods sold (70% vs. IBM’s 38%),” the first
report observed.
In addition, CDC’s low profit margin of
2% to 5% after taxes and its almost total
dependence on DP business left little room
for adversity, the IBMers said.
“CDC cannot, due to its total involve¬
ment in DP, absorb losses remotely close to
those experienced by other manufacturers,”
the report observed.
IBM said CDC’s efforts to develop the
6800 represented a “major financial and
technical risk.”
Losses and Profits .
In 1966, CDC accumulated a loss of $1.9
million on revenues of $167 million. <
But in 1967, CDC had turned a profit of
$8.4 million.
In 1966, the firm had instituted “panicky
and unnecessary price reductions” because
it overestimated the effect third-generation
machines would have on its second-
generation units, the report stated.
CDC had also experienced technical dif¬
ficulties with the 6600, increased selling ex¬
penses, concessionary marketing practices
and a major swing from purchase to rental.
To recover, CDC had developed a plan
emphasizing profits, including price in¬
creases, means of favoring purchased
systems, and a program to reduce manufac¬
turing costs.
Surveying the scene, the IBM report
observed “additional competitors in the
marketplace no longer allow a strategy
which is based on an IBM price/per¬
formance, market or industry weakness.”
For instance, General Electric Co.,
Digital Equipment Corp. and SDS were
providing strong competition in the data
acquisition and process control market.
And Univac was stepping up plans to pro¬
mote its 1108 — a competitor to the 6400,
IBM observed.
Very Difficult Prediction
It is probably unlikely that IBM
marketers in 1966 saw that IBM itself
would later h.e the source, in the form of
Service Bureau Corp., to provide what it
said CDC needed — an infusion of
resources.
‘It is extremely difficult, if not impossible,.
to predict .the degree of success that CDC
will have in the late ’60s. It is clear,
however, that substantial resources will be
required to meet competition, the report
continued.
“We believe it entirely conceivable that
severe competition from several companies
could well provide a serious threat to
CDC’s remaining as an independently
financed and operated business.”
IBM did, however, point out in the later
report the increasingly strong competition
to CDC by SDS and Univac, adding
William Norris, CDC chairman, apparently
misidentified CDC’s primary rival as IBM.
CDC potentially could also gain after-tax
profits of nearly $30 million by 1972 and
revenues of $550 million, the report said.
Competition would be the major factor in
setting near-in growth rates and the com¬
pany had the strengths to overcome obsta¬
cles it faced, it added.
Although IBM was not quite so bullish
about the proportion of revenues CDC’s
peripherals would contribute in the ’70s, it
did recognize capability and determination
in this area.
“We are confident that CDC intends to
make every effort to expand [its] participa-
IBM T ria
Documents
tion in this market.” It foresaw CDC pe¬
ripheral revenues reaching 20% of total
revenues in five years compared with
CDC’s projections of 70% by the early ’70s.
IBM quoted CDC’s financial vice-
president, Harold H. Hammer, as saying,
“We are ready to spread our wings and
have the machinery, money and men to
carry it off.”
The IBM report commented, “if the ag¬
gressive connotation of this statement did,
in fact, characterize the company’s plans
for the future, we would be extremely con¬
cerned. But, we cannot believe it really
does.
“At this time, we have no evidence of
substantial manufacturing buildups or in¬
ordinate increases in the sales organiza¬
tion” or other indications of CDC
buildup,” the report continued.
‘Strengths Will Prevail’
“It is our opinion that CDC’s numerous
strengths will prevail and that the
company’s DP business will grow — but
DP system shipment levels will not grow in
excess of 10% per year.”
IBM came up with the 10% figure because
it felt that “stepped up activity by competi¬
tion can temper CDC’s performance”
despite the fact the industry growth rate
should exceed the 10%, the report added.
768/307
CONTENT
ADDRESSABLE
PARALLEL
PROCESSORS
by C. Foster
Pub. price, $11.95
Club price, $ 9.95
767/475
OPERATING
SYSTEMS
THEORY
by E. G. Coffman
and
P. J. Denning
Pub. price, $17.95
Club price, $14.50
105/529
360/370
PROGRAMMING
IN ASSEMBLY
LANGUAGE,
second edition
by N. Chapin
Pub. price, $17.50
Club price, $13.50
«
768/803
DATA
COMPRESSION
by L. D.
Davisson
and R. M. Gray
Pub. price, $25.00
price, $17.95
767/53X
PROGRAM
STYLE, DESIGN,
EFFICIENCY,
DEBUGGING,
AND TESTING
by D. Van Tassel
Pub. price, $12.00
Club price, $ 9.95
768/641 •
MINICOMPUTER
SYSTEMS
Organization and
Programming
(POP— tt)
by R. k.
Eckhouse
Pub. price, $15.95
Club price, $12.50
any one
of these great
professional books
767/203
DATA
PROCESSING
MANAGEMENT
Methods and
Standards
767/823
USERS’ GUIDE
TO COMPUTER
CRIME;
It’s Commission,
Detection, and
Prevention
by S. W.
Leibholz and
L. D. Wilson
by D. H.
Brandon, A. D.
Palley and
A. M. O’Reilly
Pub. price, $29.95
Club price, $21.50
Pub. price, $9.95
Club price, $8.45
767/017
COMPUTER
INTERFACING
AND ON-LINE
OPERATION
by J. C. Cluley
Pub. price, $14.50
Club price, $12.35
279/535
COMPUTER
SYSTEM
PERFORMANCE
by H. Hellerman
and T. F. Conroy
Pub. price, $21.50
Club price, $16.50
389/209
THE ANALYSIS,
DESIGN, AND
IMPLEMENTA¬
TION OF
INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
by H. C. Lucas
Pub. price, $13.95
Club price, $11.50
767/98X
THE
PROGRAMMERS
INTRODUCTION
TO SN0B0L
by D. Maurer
Pub price, $13.50
Club price, $11.40
158/274
MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
Conceptual
Foundations,
Structure and
Development
by G. B. Davis
Pub. price, $17.50
Club price, $13.50
768/854
INFORMATION
& DATA IN
SYSTEMS
by B. Langefors
and
K. Samuelson
Pub. price, $14.95
Club price, $12.25
4
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by joining McGraw-Hill’s new
COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS’
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THIS new professional club is designed to meet your day-to-day on-the-job
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to your problem.
The Computer Professionals' Book Club was organized for you, to provide an
economical reading program that cannot fail to be of value. Administered by
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Hoy the Club operates: Every month you receive free of charge The Computer
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featured book of the month as well as alternate selections available at special
members’ prices. If you want to examine the Club’s feature of the month, you do
nothing. If you prefer one of the alternate selections — or if you want no book at
all — you notify the Club by returning the card enclosed with each Bulletin.
As a Club Member, you agree only to the "purchase of four books (including
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_ MAIL THIS COUPON TODAY -
COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS /Book Club
P.O. Box 582 Princeton Road, Hightstown, New Jersey 08520
Please enroll me as a member and send me the two books indicated. I am to
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I agree to take a minimum of three additional books during the next two years at
special Club prices (guaranteed 15% discount, often more). I will receive the
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take no action. It will be shipped automatically. If, however, I want an alternate
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case. Membership in the Club is continuous but cancellable by me at any time
after the four-book purchase requirement has been filled. This order subject to
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P39188 J
Page 52
I COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
Hobby Micros Not Staying Home; Pertec Eyes Market
LOS ANGELES — “It is
estimated that up to 80% of the
microcomputers currently being
sold to hobbyists are ending up in
business applications,” Ryal
Poppa, president and chief ex¬
ecutive officer of Pertec Computer
Corp., stated here recently.
The microcomputer kits are of¬
ten referred to as “home com¬
puters" but that is a misnomer
and may be misleading some in¬
dustry analysts, he pointed out.
“While it is true that a number
of the units being sold through the
growing number of computer
stores end up performing simple
tasks in the home, the vast
majority today wind up perform¬
ing some sort of business task,”
Poppa said.
“If a person buys a computer kit
and assembles it himself, he’s a
‘hobbyist’ in the current terms of
the industry.
“But if he takes the unit to his
shop and uses it for say, billing or
recordkeeping or parts ordering, it
becomes a business application,
not a home computer,” Poppa
emphasized.
This doesn’t mean the market
for home computers won't
become an important one, but it
will take a while to emerge, he
said.
"Neither builders nor
homeowners are sufficiently
familiar with what the computer
can do to be willing to make the
up-front investment. The present
school-age generation is being
trained with computers, though,
and by the time these people are
ready for their own houses, the
built-in computer will be widely
accepted," Poppa predicted.
As large as this market will be, it
is not the major growth area for
computers of the future, he added.
Microcomputers for small
businesses and systems for dis¬
tributed data processing applica¬
tions in medium and large cor¬
porations represent a considerably
higher growth rate.
The distributed type of applica¬
tion, plus first-time purchase of
computers by companies in the
$500,000 to $50 million annual
sales range, “are the two areas
that will cause a major boorp in
small business systems microcom¬
puter sales by the end of this
decade," Poppa said.
Mart Seen Growing 37%
( Continued from Page 47)
average compound increase of
34.1% annually, VDC predicted.
And in 14 other countries throughout Europe, Scandinavia and the Far East. Our System/360
users are enjoying throughput improvements of 20% to 50% with EDOS, plus operational advantages and
cost efficiencies found in no other software system. And now, with the new Release 5.5, these same users
are obtaining even more impressive results. At no additional cost.
Dramatically increased throughput, continuing enhancement and in-depth vendor support. That’s
EDOS. To learn more about this new release of EDOS and how it can enhance the performance of your
System/360, contact us. We talk your language.
HEXggTHE COMPUTER SOFTWARE COMPANY
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Cincinnati • Dallas • Los Angeles • Minneapolis • Australia/EDOS Australia Pty. Ltd., Hurstville NSW, 587-3127 • Sweden/Stalund Program AB, 018/38 62 59 • Switzerland/Howeg-Data AG, 065/51 21 51
Revenues during the five-year
period will increase at an average
42.5% rate, from $9.71 million to
$57.13 million, it added.
The term “computer hobbyist”
actually encompasses many types
of individuals with a wide range of
very different backgrounds and
often contradictory interests, the
report said.
“At one extreme are the
‘homebrew’ experimenters capa¬
ble of developing complete
hardware/software systems from
[integrated circuit] packages; at
the other extreme are those for
whom a microcomputer system is
simply an instrument for playing
games,” VDC stated.
“As the market matures, it will
become increasingly important to
differentiate between these many
groups.
With an average price of $650,
hobby computers will account for
the largest proportion of total
home units through 1981, the
report stated, rising from 71.1% to
73% of the market in the five-year'
period and then diminishing to
62.1% of the market in 1981.
Hobby computer revenues will
decrease in market share from
83.8% in 1976 to 53.4% in 1981,
although hobby mainframe
revenues will increase at an
average compound rate of 30.3%
during this period, VDC in¬
dicated.
The first true “home com¬
puters,” at $1,200, will probably
be test-marketed lat C this year,
with unit sales increasing 250%
next year and 100% annually
through 1981, VDC forecast.
Revenues from “home com¬
puters” will account for 42% of
the value of all computers sold to
the home in 1981, it added.
“Of the 17,458 computers of all
types purchased in 1976 for use in
the home, 72% were supplied by
so-called hobby computer
manufacturers, of which the two
largest suppliers — Mits and IMS
[Associates] — accounted for 63%
(45% of total).
“Yet more than one-quarter of
the total number of computers
produced by Mits and IMS did
not reach the home. They were,
instead, sold ~ to commercial,
educational and industrial users.”
“By 1981, only 47% of the total
computer production of the
largest hobby computer manufac¬
turers will reach the home.
Posters,
Memo Pads,
Sweatshirts, and
General Nonsense.
Free Brochure. . .25
cents
THE INCREDIBLE
SYSTEMS & T-SHIRT
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Box 2623
Menlo Park, CA 94025
February 28, 1977
HSU COMPUTERWORLD
Page 53
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ports, and check requests are ac¬
commodated. The system allows
for the processing one “one-time”
vendors. 10,000 entities with dif¬
fering charts of accounts and re¬
port requirements can be proc¬
essed simultaneously. Errors are
automatically transferred to a
suspense account. The system
provides for Interfaces into Gen¬
era Ledger, inventory, and Check
Reconciliation Systems. The
System allows user controlled
chhck writing and reporting cy¬
cles. Includes purchase Order
Commitment, Check Reconcilia¬
tion, Standard Cost, and Dupli¬
cate Invoice Screening modules.
ANSI COBOL, PRICE UPON RE¬
QUEST.
INFONATIONAL
P.O. Box 82477
San Diego, Ca. 92138
(714) 560-7070
Intel Single-Chip Fumily
Includes Three Members
Digital Group Printer Kit
Impact Printer
Available in Kit
DENVER — A printer kit de¬
signed for hobbyists and the
small businessman is available
from The Digital Group.
The impact printer operates at
120 char./sec and offers 96
char./line, 12 char. /in. and 6
hne/in. format.
The unit has a 5- by 7 char¬
acter matrix and can handle
either standard 8.5-in. roll, fan-
fold or cut-page paper.
Kit prices start at $495 for the
printer and the interface card,
the firm said.
Digital Group can be reached
through P.O. Box 6528, Denver,
Colo. 80206.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Intel
Corp. has introduced the
MCS-48 single-chip microcom¬
puter system family which in¬
cludes the 8048, 8748 and the
8035.
The firm also unveiled several
memory and I/O devices as well
as program development prod¬
ucts.
The 8048 and 8748 can op¬
erate as stand-alone single-chip
systems, Intel said. The 8048 has
a IK masked read-only memory
(ROM) on the chip and is inter¬
changeable with the 8748, which
contains a IK erasable program¬
mable ROM (Eprom) for devel¬
opment purposes.
The 8035 is equivalent to the
other two, but does not include
a program memory, the firm
said.
All contain an 8-bit CPU,
64-byte read/write data mem¬
ory, three programmable 8-bit
I/O ports and eight other control
and timing lines as well as a
programmable interval timer/
event counter.
In addition, they have priority
interrupt controls, a system
clock generator and a full set of
generally required, system con¬
trols and utilities, the firm said.
The CPU can address both on-
chip memory and peripheral
memory. The 8-bit CPU has a
2.5 microsec instruction cycle.
The units are 40-pin devices that
operate on +5V.
The MCS-48 _ systems can be
expanded with Intel’s MCS-80
components, the firm said.
Intel said it will support the
8048 with enhancements of the
Intellec Microcomputer Develop-
Microcosm
ment system and a programming
tool, called Prompt, for develop¬
ment of programs directly on
the 8748.
This system is an MCS-48 with
a resident monitor, a keyboard
and a display panel as well as a
programmer for the 8748 ’s
Eprom. With Prompt, programs
may be debugged on the 8748,
Intel said.
An ICE-48 in-circuit emulation
module converts the Intellec
system into an 8048 system
hard ware/software integration
and debugging facility.
Intel is shipping sample chips
and plans to begin production
deliveries in the spring. Prices
have not been established. Intel
is at 3065 Bowers Ave., Santa
Clara, Calif . 95051.
AMI 56800 Now in Kit Forms
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — American Microsystems, Inc.
(AMI) is offering its S6800 microprocessor in kit forms
ranging in price from $133 to $495.
A fully assembled version, the EVK 300, costs $765 with a
Tiny Basic tape.
The CPU for all kits is the AMI S6800 8-bit chip with an
instruction execution time of 2 microsec and memory access
time of 575 nsec maximum.
The 10..5- by 12-in. boards include a 512-byte erasable
programmable read-only memory (Eprom) with an adapter
plug, 48 I/O lines through three parallel peripheral interface
adapter chips and one asynchronous communications interface
adapter, the firm said, adding the interface bus and parallel I/O
are TTL-compatible.
Four interrupt vectors are included as well as three types of
direct memory access.
An EVK 99 with a PC board, two_edge connectors and nine
parts costs $133; the EVK 100, which includes enough logic
for simple communications with a terminal, costs $295.
The EVK 200 adds I/O interfaces, memory, an Eprom,
on-board Eprom programmer and crystal clock for $495.
AMI is at 3800 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, Calif. 95051.
Rockwell Extending PPS-4 Series
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Rockwell
International’s Microelectric De¬
vice Division is expanding its sin¬
gle-chip microcomputer family
to seven devices; three are avail¬
able now.
V arying read-only memory
(ROM) and random-access mem¬
ory (RAM) sizes are the prin¬
cipal differences in the three
chips currently available, the
MM76, MM77 and MM78.
The forthcoming units will in¬
clude the MM76C with a high¬
speed counter; the MM76D, with
a 12-bit analog-to-digital con¬
verter and six more I/O lines;
and the MM76E, with an ex¬
panded ROM capability.
The MM75 will have 22 I/O
lines compared with 31 on the
other devices and a 28-pin dual
in-line package rather than 42-
Intel Has Package
Of 404 O-Based Unit
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The
MCS-40 System Kit B from Intel
Corp. costs $60 and includes ele¬
ments to construct a system
based on the 4040 CPU, which is
also included.
The kit was designed for devel¬
opment and low-volume manu¬
facturing applications, Intel said.
System Elements
The other system elements are
a 4201 A system clock generator,
4265 programmable general-pur¬
pose I/O unit, a 4269 program¬
mable keyboard/display unit,
4289 standard memory, inter¬
face, a 2111A IK static random
access memory and a 4702 A 2K
erasable programmable read-only
memory as well as system and
components data and a manual.
Intel is at 3065 Bowers Ave.,
Santa Clara, Calif. 95051.
or 52-pin quad in-line packages.
All chips in the PPS-4/ 1 family
feature clocked, simultaneous
serial I/O capabilities, which per¬
mit the cascading of PPS-4/ 1
micros to provide systems using
multiprocessors, the firm said.
Rockwell also offers an “as-
semulator” system development
tool.
Prices for the MM75, 76 and
77 are $3.50, $5 and $9 respec¬
tively in lots over 25,000.
Rockwell is at 3310 Miraloma
Ave., P.O. Box 3669, Anaheim,
Calif. 92803.
Plug In
High Performance
$950
single quantity
00
Techtran 815 DATACASSETTE
Now For The First Time Anywhere..
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• Terminal & Modem /CPU Interfaces
• Automatic send /receive
Calf or Write Today/
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580 Jefferson Road
Rochester, N.Y. 14623 U.S.A.
Tel: 716-271-7953
TWX: 510-253-3246
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you gain access to one of the most com¬
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Dial our number and execute your own
programs or utilize a wide range of soft¬
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PANVALET, GPSS, HEC1, HEC2, SWMM,
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If you are using an outside computer
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COMPARE — call or write today to re¬
quest a benchmark or additional infor¬
mation.
Page 54
ICOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
Realistic Has 8080 Systems With Fortran
CLEVELAND — The Z/100
Series of Intel Corp. 8080-based
micro systems from Realistic Con¬
trols Corp. feature a file manage¬
ment system and Fortran IV com¬
piler.
The systems, which include 3K
programmable read-only memory
and a minimum of 33K bytes of
random-access memory, expand¬
able to 64K, is equipped with an
IBM-compatible dual diskette
drive.
The Z/ 100-1, a time-sharing re¬
placement system, costs $7,995
with 36K bytes and two RS-232C
channels.
The Z/ 100-2 costs $8,995 and in¬
cludes 34K bytes and a 60
char. /sec bidirectional line printer
and keyboard.
The Z/ 100-3 features a 1,920
character CRT and keyboard and
an RS-232C channel for a cost of
$9,795. This unit can also support
an optional 300 ljne/min printer.
The Fortran compiler, Fort/80,
available with any of the above
configurations, costs $750. It is a
subset of Ansi Fortran IV and
produces directly executable op¬
timized 8080 machine code, the
firm said.
Fort/80 was developed by Un-
North Star Designs
Floppy Disk System
BERKELEY, Calif. — North
Star Computers, Inc. has an¬
nounced its Micro-Disk System
for use with S-100 bus systems.
PCS Units Aid Program Design
SALINE, Mich. — Process
Computer Systems (PCS)
Micropac Program Development
Systems (M PDS) offer relative ad-
FREE SOFTWARE
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721-1148.
dressing of program segments.
The three versions include a
desk-top cabinet with a CPU
module based on an Intel Corp.
8080, 64 K random-access
memory, 12K read-only memory
and power supply.
The MPDS-1 is designed for use
with a teletypewriter and includes
a teletypewriter interface.
The MPDS-2 is for use with a
Texas Instruments 733 terminal.
Both units cost $4,900 and in¬
clude a dual cassette unit.
The MPDS-3 has dual floppy
disks, a 2,400 Iine/min thermal
printer, a CRT and program¬
mable read-only memory pro¬
grammer and costs $12,000.
With relative addressing, only
the portion of the program af¬
fected by a change needs to be
reassembled, the firm said.
Program modules may change
size without memory overlap since
only relative addresses are used
during relocatable assembly, ac¬
cording to the firm.
PCS is at 5467 Hill 23 Drive,
Flint, Mich. 48507.
NSC Expands Set
Of 8080A Micros
Microcosm
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Na¬
tional Semiconductor • Corp.
(NSC) has expanded its line of In¬
tel Corp. 8080A-type microproc¬
essors.
The INS8080A-1 has a
1 . 3-microsec cycle.
Interfaces Added
ified Technologies, Inc.
In addition, its language ex¬
tensions include program control
over interrupts, direct Fortran ad¬
dressing of 8080 ports and the
ability to link inline machine code
into a Fortran program.
The firm is at 3530 Warrensville
Center Rd., Cleveland, Ohio
44122.
The unit includes a controller;
Shugart Associates’ SA-400 mini¬
floppy drive; disk-to-controller
cabling and connectors; two disk¬
ettes, one with DOS and Basic;
and hardware and software
documentation, the firm said.
Power supply and cabinet are
available. An assembled unit costs
$799.
The kit costs $699. Additional
drives are available for $425 each,
including cables.
North Star is at 2465 Fourth St.,
Berkeley, Calif. 94710.
In addition, the firm has in¬
troduced interface devices which
include an 8-bit I/O port, a clock
generator and driver and a single¬
chip system controller and bus
driver, all using Schottky polar
technology.
The firm plans to have two other
interface circuits available March
1, a spokesman said from 2900
Semiconductor Drive, Santa
Clara, Calif. 95051.
Icom Introduces
Microfloppy Unit
YPFB the Bolivian state owned oil company invites all interested com¬
panies to submit documentation for qualification for EDP consultancy.
Those companies that meet the qualifications criteria will be invited to
present bids for the company, EDP project to be carried out in Bolivia. The
project involves:
- The implementation of a materials control system where the programs
have already been developed.
-The computerization of the comany administrative system.
- The application of EDP in the day to day oil field operations such as
production, drilling, reservoir engineering (excluding simulation), refining,
marketing.
- Streamlining of the flow of information between H.WQ., division offices
and field.
Documentation portfolios will be accepted until 1800 hrs. (CST) of
Tuesday the 1st of March 1977 at the following address:
Y.P.F.B.
3334 Richmond Ave. Suite 1 05
Houston, Texas 77098
Attn: Gloria Alvarado
The company currently owns two medium size IBM 370/1 15 systems and
is in the process of expanding them.
A minimum of one person assigned for a period of one-two years will be
required.
CANOGA PARK, Calif. —
Icom, a division of Pertec Com¬
puter Corp., has introduced the
Microfloppy disk system, which
uses Shugart Associates’ mini¬
floppy drive.
The Microfloppy Model FD
2411 includes the drive, power
supply, cabinet, controller/in¬
terface card, power cord, fuse and
all cables. It is plug-compatible
with micros using the Altair bus
format, Icom said.
The unit incorporates Icom’s
FDOS-M software on diskette,
and, for a while, the firm will sup¬
ply an 8K Basic package free of
charge, Icom said. It is priced at
$1,095.
The FDOS-M software includes
a macro assembler, a string-
oriented text editor and a diskette
initializer.
Icom is at 6741 Variel Ave.,
Canoga Park, Calif. 91303.
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Instant access to descriptions of hundreds
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• Indexed by applications and services
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MINICOMPUTER DATA SERVICES
20 COVENTRY LANE, RIVERSIDE, CT. 06878
GO GREYHOUND
WHEN LEASING
COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
AVAILABLE
IMMEDIATELY:
360 30, 360^50, PHOENIX 10
TAPES. 2314 COMPATIBLE DISKS
US.
East
Central
West
Tom Ryan
Jerry Rogers
Dave Hyland
(617) 272-8110
(412) 922-8920
(415) 283-8980
International
Canada
UK.
Europe
Mexico
Austro-Asia
Don Maunder (Toronto)
Bruce Pearson (London
Joe Gold (Geneva)
Andres Contreras
Don Haworth
(416) 366-1513
(01) 759-9191
(022)61-27-54
(905) 543-6850
(214) 233-1818
Non-IBM
Dallas
John Hallmark
(214) 233-1818
Greyhound Computer Corporation Greyhound Tower Phoenix, Arizona 85077
WANT PDP11* COMPATIBILITY? WANT QUICK DELIVERY & LOW COST & HIGH PERFORMANCE?
The GRC 11/X3 is everything you want in
a MICROCOMPUTER
The General Robotics Corporation is proud to announce the GRC11/X3,
a new and powerful central processor based on the popular DEC*
LSI-1 1* microcomputer module. This deluxe system is housed in a
5W chassis suitable for rackmount or table-top operation.
Because it includes both an LSI-11 double-sized back¬
plane and a PDP11 UNIBUS* adapter port, the
GRC11/X3 can be used as a direct replacement for any
LSI-11 or PDP11/03 and many PDP11/04 or PDP11/05
minicomputers.
The GRC11/X3 can be purchased in a package with a dual drive, double
density, DMA floppy disk, a box of formatted diskettes, and operating system
with FORTRAN IV. This configuration is ready to be connected to most
teletype, CRT, hardcopy, or graphics terminals for immediate operation.
DUAL DRIVE, DOUBLE DENSITY
FLOPPY DISK
— PDP11 DMA Interface
— 1.24M Bytes Of On-line Storage
— Hardware Bootstrap Loader
— Switch Selectable
Drive Addressing
— Expandable To 4 Drives
(Also available In DEC
compatible model)
SINGLE QUANTITY GRC11/FDX3 PACKAGE PRICE ...$11,995 00
GRC11/X3 MICROCOMPUTER ONLY . $5,995.00
DELIVERY: 30 DAYS OR LESS ARO
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE (E.O.B. Hartford. Wis.)
GRC11/X3 MICROCOMPUTER
— 20K Words Of Semiconductor RAM
— Realtime Clock
— Extended Instruction Set
— Floating Point Arithmetic
— Serial 1/0 Module (RS232 or 20 ma)
— UNIBUS Peripheral Port
— Extra Dual Height Module Slots
BOX OF 10 FORMATTED, CERT¬
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DISKETTES
— Useable On Both Sides
— 624K Bytes Per Side
0PERATIN6
omplete svs
printers, laboratory and graphics equip¬
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can also be obtained from General
Robotics. For more information, call
or write today.
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— Keyboard Monitor
— File Utilities
— Text Editor
— MACRO Assembler
— F0RTRAM IV Compiler
— Linking Loader
EDUCATIONAL AND QUANTITY DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE!
GENERAL ROBOTICS CORPORATION
55-57 NORTH MAIN STREET • HARTFORD, WISCONSIN 53027 • (414) 673-6800
‘Trademark of the Digital Equipment Corporation
February 28, 1977
I COMPUTERWORLD
Page 55
M6800 [valuation Kit Out ,TC Unve"8 Microdi8ke"9
for 'Homebrewed' DP Fans
West Coast Faire Set for April
AUSTIN, Texas — An M6800 evaluation
kit is available from the Integrated Circuit
Division of Motorola, Inc.
The MEK6800D2 kit consists of a
microcomputer and keyboard display
modules. The latter includes audio cassette
interface circuitry.
The display has six LED readouts. The
hexadecimal keyboard has eight command
keys.
The kit includes assembly manual, pro¬
gramming reference manual and the M6800
microsystem design data book. It may be
used “as is” or expanded to 65K, the firm
said.
Cost of the kit, excluding power supply
and cassette recorder, is $235 from
Motorola distributors or the firm at 3501
Ed Bluestein Blvd., Austin, Texas 78721.
Quickrun Features 32K
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — The
Microkit-8/16 with Quickrun program de¬
velopment includes 32K memory, dual
cassette tapes and a CRT for-$5,275, ac¬
cording to its vendor, Microkit, Inc.
Tl^e Quickrun for either the Intel 8080 or
Motorola M-6800 includes a moni¬
tor/debugger, editor and assembler, all cor¬
esident in memory along with a source code
workspace and an object code workspace.
The 32K configuration provides space for
a 1,000-statement source program, a 4K-
byte object area and all system software, ac¬
cording to Microkit.
Quickrun allows symbolic debugging and
offers write protection registers.
A Microemulator option, costing $1,250,
allows the user to connect Quickrun
directly into the system he is testing through
in-circuit emulation, the firm said.
Microkit is at 2180 Colorado Ave., Santa
Monica, Calif. 90404.
Super Jolt Has Software
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Microcom¬
puter Associates, Inc.’s Super Jolt single¬
board computer card contains 5K of resi¬
dent read-only memory (ROM) program
memory that includes a single pass Resident
Assembler Program (RAP) and a Tiny
Basic interpretive language for $575.
The unit without the software ROMs
costs $375 and includes the 8-bit 6502 mi¬
croprocessor, IK byte of static random-
access memory, 32 bidirectional and pro¬
grammable I/O lines and three serial in¬
terfaces including RS-232, the firm said.
The Super Jolt with RAP can function as
a single-card development system, accord¬
ing to the firm at 2589 Scott Blvd., Santa
Clara, Calif. 95050.
AMI Cuts Eprom Prices
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — ' American
Microsystems, Inc. (AMI) has reduced
prices on three of its erasable program¬
mable read-only memories (Eprom) by
more than 50%.
In quantities of 100 to 999, the AMI
S5204A and S6834-1 now cost $9.95 each
while the S6834 costs $10.95.
The S6834 access time is 575 nsec and it
programs in 42 sec compared with 650 nsec
and 2 min for the firm’s older 1702, accord¬
ing to the firm at 3800 Homestead Road,
Santa Clara, Calif. 95051.
Micros Turn to Music
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — For those
micro kit hobbyists with a musical bent,
Cybercom has introduced the SB1 Music
Board and high-level music language for
S-100 bus systems including Altair and Im-
sai Units.
Prices for the kit, which includes software
and documentation, ate $250 or $300 fully
assembled and tested. Cybercom is at
2102A Walsh Ave., Santa Clara, Calif.
95050.
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Information Ter¬
minals Corp. (ITC) is producing a
microdiskelle that it said is compatible with
small drives.
The microdisketle, the MD 525, has about
one-third the capacity of the standard-size
diskette and costs $5.25 from 323 Soquel
Way, Sunnyvale, Calif. 94086.
Warfare Game Available
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — For fans of
game-board warfare, Objective Design,
Inc.’s offerihg Encounter, which is written
in basic Intel 8080 Assembly language and
runs in 4K of random-access memory.
The game includes software as source
code, comments, explanations and rules
and costs $12.95. The program on paper
tape costs $16.95.
To play the game, one needs a memory
mapped video display with a 16 by 64
format and two keyboards.
Objective Design is at P.O. Box 20456,
Tallahassee, Fla. 32304.
SAN FRANCISCO — The West Coast
Computer Faire for home computerniks
and fans will feature about 100 conference
sessions and about 200 commercial and
homebrew exhibits April 16-17 at the Civic
Auditorium here.
Over 110 commercial exhibits have been
booked for the Faire, a spokesman said.
In addition, those persons with uniquely
homebrewed systems of nearly any variety
are invited to submit details of their systems
to the Faire Committee, which is providing
exhibit space for those systems as well as
free passes for the inventors.
Banquets on both Friday and Saturday
will each feature a “presentworld” and
“futureworld” speaker.
On Friday, Frederik Pohl will talk on
“Robots You Can Build for Fun and
Profit.” John Whitney will look at “Digital
Pyrotechnics: The Computer in Visual
Art.”
Saturday’s speakers will be Dr. Henry
Tropp, who will discuss “The 1940s: The
First Personal Computing Era.” Ted
Nelson will speak on “Those Unforgettable
Neixt Two Years.”
Faire cosponsors include area chapters of
, the Association for Computing Machinery
and the Institute of Electrical and Elec¬
tronic Engineers, as well as other groups.
Registration at the door will be $9 for the
two days. Preregistration offers a reduced
rate. Details are available from The Com¬
puter Faire, Box 1579, Palo Alto, Calif.
94302.
Floppy Offered for Imsai
DENVER — Peripheral Vision is offering
a floppy disk system for the Altair Imsai
S-100 Bus.
The interface card kit and an assembled
and tested lnnovex diskette drive cost $750.
A disk operating system with file manage¬
ment is included.
The interface card cart support eight
drives and a bootstrap erasable program¬
mable read-only memory makes system
startup automatic, the firm said from P.O.
Box 6267, Denver, Colo. 80206. .
Sales and Service
..they go together!
At DATA ACCESS SYSTEMS, INC. we believe that sales
and service go together.
Not only do we provide immediate, off-shelf delivery, but we offer a 24-hour response to your
request for service (most time, same day). Most important, if your terminal cannot be repaired at
your site, we will leave a spare.
Our first question to you is - What are your requirements? Our
Research and Development department reviews all new
terminals as they are put on the market and selects those that are
most suitable and reliable to our customers’ needs:
DATA ACCESS SYSTEMS, INC. offers for sale and/or
lease a full line of data communications terminals featuring:
Diablo HyTerm 1620 . $2,895.00
DecWriter LA 36 DE . 1 ,575.00
T.l. 745 Portable . . 1,875.00
(incl. Full ASCII K/B)
T.I.733KSR . $1,550.00
T.I.743KSR . 1,350.00
T echtran 841 0 . . . 1 ,500.00
Ml2 760 Coupler . . 300.00
Flexible Disk . 2,450.00
L.S.I.ADM3A . 1,100.00
(incl. 24 lines/ ADD Cursor)
DecWriter LA 36 DA . '. . . $ 900.00
T.l. 725 Portable . 900.00
Univac DCT 500 . 900.00
Teletype 33 ASR 5JA . . 675.00
Special Discounts to small OEM’s
D fl S
DATA ACCESS SYSTEMS, INC.
is a public company with headquarters at
100 Route 46, Mountain Lakes, New Jersey 07046 (201) 335-3322.
Branch offices:
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
(215) 623-8811
220 New Boston Park
Woburn, Massachusetts 01801
(617) 933-8822
2727 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia 22201
(703) 525-2924
Sign up now for the Computer
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Thursday:
Case Studies in Improving Software Productivity - Person¬
nel Recruiting, Selection and Training; Software Alterna¬
tives; Measuring Systems Utilization; Documentation and
Maintenance Aids.
All Forums will take place from 9 AM to 1 PM.
Concurrently, hundreds of exhibitor products and services will be shown
at Computer EXPO 77 each day from 10 AM to 5 PM. There is no
admission charge to the exhibit hall.
See the latest and the best in:
Data Communications Terminals, Minicomputers, Software, Printers,
Data Input Equipment, CRT Terminals, Computer Output Equipment,
Data Communications Interconnect Equipment, Supplies, Magnetic
Media, Modems, DP Education, Small Business Computer Systems, Mini¬
peripherals, Flexible Disk Drives, Magnetic Tape Transports, Cassette
Systems, Microcomputers, Keyboards . . . and more!
HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE FORUMS
Send to:
Registration Office
Computer EXPO 77
797 Washington Street
Newton, MA 02160
(617) 965-5800
(No advance registration or admission charge is required of qualified executives for the Computer
EXPO program — including exhibit hall and exhibitor seminars. Your business card will admit you.)
* Please Circle 1 Number in Each Category
Register me for
□ all three days
□ Tuesday
□ Wednesday
□ Thursday
Name-
Title-
Company-
Street and Number .
State -
. City-
Zip-
. Telephone ( )-
Check city in which you plan to attend:
(your acknowledgement form will include complete details on times and locations)
□ San Francisco March 29-31, San Francisco Civic Auditorium
□ Los Angeles April 5-7, Los Angeles Convention Center »
□ Cleveland April 19-21, Cleveland Convention Center
□ Minneapolis/St. Paul April 26-28, St. Paul Civic Center «
□ Chicago May 3-5, McCormick Place
□ New York May 10-12, New York Coliseum
□ Philadelphia May 24-26, Philadelphia Convention Center
□ Washington, DC May 31-June2, Sheraton Park Hotel
□ Boston June 7-9, Northeast Trade Center (Rte. 128, exit 39)
(Registration for any single forum day entitles you to attend all three days of exhibits. If you
wish to attend the exhibits only, no advance registration is required.)
□ Check Enclosed □ Purchase Order Enclosed □ Charge my American Express
COMPUTER
CARAVAN ■
Timm
BUSINESS/INDUSTRY
10 Manufacturer of Computer or DP
Hardware/Peripherals
20 Manufacturer (other)
30 DP Service Bureau/Software/Planning/
Consulting
40 Public Utility/Communication Systems/
Transportation
50 Wholesale/Retail/Trade
60 Finance/Insurance/Real Estate
70 Mining/Construction/Petroleum/Refining
75 Business Service (except DP)
80 Education/Medicine/Law
85 Government - Federal/State/Local
90 Printing/Publishing/Other Communication
Service
95 Other _
Cardholder Number
_ 1 _
1 1
_l _ 1 _
. . ,L. 1
— 1. -L„
A division of Computerworld, Inc.
797 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02160
Expiration Date.
Cardholder Signature.
PAYMENT RECEIVED
TITLE/OCCUPATION/FUNCTION
11 Presiderit/Owner/Partner/General Manager
12 VP/Assistant VP
1 3 T reasurer/Contrpller/Finance Officer
2 1 Director/Manager of Operation/Planning/
Administrative Service
22 Director/Manager/Supervisor DP
23 Systems Manager/Systems Analyst
31 Manager/Supervisor Programming
32 Programmer/Methods Analyst
41 Application Engineer
42 Other Engineering
51 Mfg. Sales Representative
52 Other Sales/Marketing
60 Consultant
70 Lawyer/Accountant
80 Librarian/Educator/Student
90 Other -
□ $45.00 One Forum Day □ $80.00 Two Forum Days □ $115.00 Three Forum Days
Doit now.
February 28, 1977
IS2 COMPUTERWORLD
Page 57
Report Hints at Terhnolonies
-
IBM Expenditures for R&D Top $1 Billion Mark in 1976
By Molly Upton
Of the CW Staff
ARMONK, N.Y. — One result of IBM’s
$1,012 billion research and development ex¬
penditure in 1976 was a “highly experimen¬
tal” magnetic bubble lattice device which
has a density of 5 million bit/sq in., accord¬
ing to the firm’s annual report.
In 1975, IBM spent $946 million on R&D.
Scientists also developed ways to fabricate
■ electrical conductors only a few tens of
atoms wide, the report said. “Such ultrafine
lines have several important potential scien¬
tific applications,” according to the report.
IBM continues to study Josephson junc¬
tions, using them in experimental com-
putercircuits such as multipliers and
memory arrays, the report indicated.
In addition to looking for ways to
organize information so it is easily ac¬
cessible but secure, IBM engineers and pro¬
grammers are “developing new devices and
systems to meet the special needs of in¬
dustry, government agencies and other
customers,” according to the report.
Cost of Rentals Rises
In comparing increasing revenues and the
costs of acquiring those revenues, IBM in¬
dicated gross income from rentals and
services increased 4.6% whereas the cost of
rentals and services rose by 4%.
By contrast, in 1975 income from rentals
and services rose 17.8% and the associated
costs rose 11.8%.
However, the boost in outright sales of
products, especially DP products, caused
gross income from sales to rise 31.1% while
the cost of sales increased only 20.2%.
The lower rate of increase in costs was
principally the result of “a change in mix of
products which have different levels of cost.
The most significant change in this mix was
the increase in DP equipment,” according
to the report.
The 1975 increase in cost of sales was
14.3% accompanied by a 6.2% increase in
gross income.
Combining sales, rentals and services,
gross income increased 12.9% compared
with the 1975 increase of. 13.9%.
IBM had capital expenditures of $2,518
billion during the year, including $1,831
billion for rental machines.
‘Retirements, covering obsolete arid dis¬
mantled equipment, as well as rental
machines sold which previously were under
lease to customers, amounted to $1,501
billion in 1976, including $1,330 billion of
rental machines. These retirements were
charged against amounts provided out of
prior and current years’ earnings or to cost
? sales,” the report said.
Working Capital
At the end of 1976, IBM’s total working
capital was $5,838 billion, an increase of
$1,086 billion compared with the $4,752
billion a year ago. The 1975 amount was an
increase of $951.7 million.
Total assets were $17,723 billion com¬
pared with nearly $15,531 billion last year.
Principally because of a boost in the value
of its marketable securities,- IBM’s current
assets reached $9,920 billion at the end of
the year compared with $8,115 billion for
the end of 1975. Marketable securities in¬
creased $1,363 billion to $5,948 billion.
The firm’s other income, mainly interest,
increased 37.2% to $494.5 million compared
with $360.5 million last year. The increase
was attributable to a larger portfolio, IBM
said. In 1975 other income rose 5.8%.
Among other assets, IBM’s rental
machines and parts were listed at $10,439
billion prior to a $6,189 billion depreciation
charge, for a net value of nearly $4,250
billion compared with $4,194 billion last
year.
On the liabilities side of the ledger, IBM
reduced long-term, debt to $275.1 million
from $295.1 million a year ago; interest on
debt declined 28.1%.
1,273 women managers, an increase of
21.2%.
In its major U.S. locations, IBM cut its
energy consumption per square foot by 5%
from the 1975 figures. It estimated the 36%
reduction in consumption from the 1973
level was worth over $58 million in the
slightly over three years.
In IBM World Trade countries, it
estimated savings of more than $20 million
since 1973 resulting from a 27% reduction
in energy consumption.
The firm either has or is installing System
7s to monitor and control energy use at 42
company locations.
IBM’s 779,000 sq-ft facility in San Jose is
the firm’s largest facility that is currently
being expanded. IBM had 13 sites under
construction in the U.S. last year.
A Concept in search
of a Definition
Computerworld presents a special report on Distributed Processing
in the March 28th issue.
Computerworld' s next special report will explore the wide open world
of distributed data processing, starting with the hardest problem of all;
defining what these buzz words mean. Well have experts on hand to
tell us, in their own words, just what constitutes a distributed processing
system, and what does not. They might not agree, of course, but it
should make enlightening reading for just about everyone.
Edited by Ron Frank, this special report will include a variety of
information on distributed data processing:
• Case histories — the decision, development process and results
• User commentary and analysis on distributed systems
• Changes you'll have to make — in hardware, software, communica¬
tions and personnel — when converting to a distributed environment
• Cost/performance choices when adapting your hardware and software
• Configuring an off-site communications network for a distributed
system
• Cost /performance options in line costs, line speeds, and communication
equipment
• Personnel — the effect of distributed processing on management; will
“Regional DP Managers" be necessary to maintain corporate control?
• Computer Security — does the risk to your organization grow in proportion
to the points of access to your data file? Safeguards you can use
• Who's going into distributed processing — a profile of the “prime
candidate" for conversion
In all, Computerworld' s March 28th report could help you make an
informed decision on what some are calling the “wave of the future",
and what others think of as three confusing words. So if you'd like
to consider the benefits of a distributed system, or if you already have
one, be sure you read the March 28th Computerworld. If you market
equipment that's designed for or can be adapted to a distributed
environment, you should put your advertising here (where it'll do the
most good). Don't miss the March 11th closing date. Contact your
Computerworld salesman for complete details. Or call Judy Milford at
(617) 965-5800 to place your ad.
IBM increased its reserves for employees’
indemnities and retirement plans to almost
$553.5 million from $411.8 million last
year.
The firm’s new five-year employee stock
purchase plan cost the firm $20 million dur¬
ing the year. It bought 567,000 shares in the
market and sold 494,721 of these to em¬
ployees.
IBM Investment
Just where is IBM investing its money?
According to the report, it increased its
holdings of U.S. Treasury securities and
non-U. S. time deposits by $1,214 billion
and $608.5 million, respectively.
IBM decreased holdings in U.S. federal
agency securities and state and municipal
securities. Corporate bonds rose slightly.
Over half of the IBM portfolio of market¬
able securities, whose, market value totals
$6,006 billion, is in U.S. Treasury securities.
The 1975 market value was $4,623 billion.
In line with equal opportunity action,
44.3% of the total personnel hired in the
Financial
News
U.S. last year were women and 24.4% were
minorities, the firm stated.
Minority employees now comprise 11.3%
of the IBM employee population compared
with 10.9% a year ago; women comprise
17.6% compared with 16.9%.
IBM now has 1,437 minority managers in
the U.S., 14.5% more than in 1975, and
COMPUTERWORLD
THE NEWSWEEKLY FOR THE COMPUTER COMMUNITY
Boston
Bob Ziegel
Mike Burman
(617) 965-5800
New York
Don Fagan
Frank Gallo
(201) 461-2575
San Francisco
Bill Healey
Jim Richardson
(415) 495-0990
Los Angeles
Bill Healey
Jim Richardson
(213) 475-8486
Accounts Payable
and Purchase Order
System
• Three-way match between invoice, receiver and P.O.
• Short and long term cash requirements • Due date and
discount calculations • Check reconciliation • Multi¬
bank capability • 1099 reporting • Duplicate invoice
detection • Recurring payments • G. L. interface
From the acknowlwdged leaders in A.P. and P.O. systems.
IMS
International Management Systems Corporation
4676 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90291
(213) 822-2022
Contact: John Goetz, V.P. Marketing
DEC Revenues Up 40% in Quarter
MAYNARD, Mass. — Digital
Equipment Corp. saw revenues
rise 40% in the second quarter, re¬
flecting a high rate of orders both
domestically and overseas.
Earnings for the quarter and the
first half were influenced by the
increased level of expenses
associated with the current ex¬
pansion program and a major
buildup in the work force, the firm
said.
Earnings for the quarter, ended
Jan. 1, rose to $39.4 million or
$1.01 a share compared with $27.7
million or 77 cents a share in the
year-ago period.
Revenues increased to $445.5
million, up from $313 million a
year ago.
For the six months, earnings
climbed to $22.7 million or 58
cents a share compared with $16.3
Financia
News
million or 45 cents a share in the
same period last year. Six month
revenues rose to $241 million from
$173 million.
DEC is aggressively continuing
its expansion program. Latest
plans include a 130,000 sq-ft addi¬
tion to the firm’s manufacturing
plant in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico,
which produces small computers,
and an agreement to purchase a
plant site in Mesa, Ariz. for a
130,000 sq-ft plant.
Cray Shows Loss
In Year, Quarter
MINNEAPOLIS — Cray
Research, Inc. has reported its
first revenues from operations of
$509,000 in the fourth quarter,
marking the beginning of the
company’s evolution from the de¬
velopment to the operating stage,
according to Seymour R. Cray,
president.
Overall, Cray suffered a loss for
the fourth quarter of $555,217 or
40 cents a share.
For the year ended Dec.31, the
company reported a loss of $1.55
million or $1.28 a share compared
ss of $886,534 or $1.33 a
1975.
Nickels &
Dimes
IBM has declared a quarterly
dividend of $2.50 payable March
10 to holders of record Feb. 9.
This represents a 25-cent increase
over the previous quarterly
dividend.
$$$
Honeywell, Inc. has agreed in
principle with General Electric Co.
(GE) on a modification of their
existing arrangement covering the
• exchange of GE’s remaining
11.7% interest in Honeywell In¬
formation Systems for Honeywell
stock.
The modification advanced by
one year', to 1977, the date by
which Honeywell can begin ex¬
ercising its option to acquire GE’s
interest for 1 .4 million Honeywell
shares.
$$$
Quantor Corp.’s line of credit
from Crocker National Bank of
San Francisco has been increased
50% to $12 million. The agree¬
ment also included a reduced in¬
terest rate to 2-3/4% over prime
— ■ . . . . ■'
Large Screen Display
JOIN NOW
Since 1947, ACM has served as the educational and
scientific society for computing professionals— 35,000
strong and growing.
WRITE TODAY
For regular and student membership information send the
attached coupon to ACM headquarters. With special
Interest Groups covering every major computing discipline
and local Chapters in most metropolitan areas, ACM is
probably the organization you're looking for.
I Association for Computing Machinery
■ 1133 Ave. of the Americas, N.Y., N.Y. 10036
» I would like to consider joining ACM.
| Please send more information.
I
I
I
I
Name.
Company.
Address _
.State.
When it’s desirable that everyone
clearly see the computer-gener¬
ated Information display, IMI’s in¬
expensive Magna Image I video
projector provides the perfect an¬
swer.
Interfaces directly with raster
scan CRT terminals and projects
an image ranging in size from 3’ x
4* up to as large as 15’ x 20’.
Ideal for conference rooms, and
classrooms in training and educa¬
tion. Displays as many as 24 lines
of data, 80 characters per line.
Reliable and easy to operate. Call
or write:
00()IMI
mu \J\J\J imme MACNmanoH me
538 Bloomfield Ave.
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*r ., ^ „ $
Now you can advertise in five leading
computer publications, in five major
export markets-in one simple step.
'cwxos*™.
COMPUTER
MANAGEMENT
UNITED KINGDOM
World rank as DP market: Fourth
1975 DP expenditures: $2.7 Billion
1975 imports from US: $270 Million
Rank as importer from US: Third
Computer Management is a monthly
magazine recently purchased by Computer-
world, Inc. Monthly circulation is 30,000.
COMPUTERWOCHE
GERMANY
World rank as DP market: Third
1975 DP expenditures: $3.7 Billion
1975 imports from US: $274 Million
Rank as importer from US: Second
Computerwoche is a weekly tabloid news¬
paper started by Computerworld, Inc. It has a
circulation of 21,000 to the West German
computer community.
SHUKAN
COMPUTER
JAPAN
World rank as DP market: Second
1975 DP expenditures: $4.6 Billion
1975 imports from US: $189 Million
Rank as importer from US: Fifth
Shukan is a weekly tabloid newspaper,
jointly owned by Computerworld and Dempa
publications. Circulation is 35,000.
ZERO-UN
INFORMATIQUE
FRANCE
World rank as DP market: Fifth
1975 DP expenditures: $2.5 Billion
1975 imports from US: $223 Million
Rank as importer from US: Fourth
Computerworld represents Zero-Un
Informatique in the US. Zero-Un has three
publications, one a weekly tabloid news¬
paper with circulation of 22,000; the second
a monthly magazine, circulating 13,000
copies; and a new bi-weekly. Minis and
Micros. All circulate throughout Europe's
French speaking computer market.
DATANEWS
BRAZIL
World rank as DP market: 12th
1975 DP expenditures: $250 Million
1975 imports from US: $60 Million
Rank as importer from US: (Est) 10th
DataNews is a bi-weekly tabloid newspaper
in Portuguese with an English-language
summary. It is owned by Computerworld, Inc.
and has a circulation of 7,000.
Computerworld now has sister publications in five
leading international markets for US computers and
computer- related equipment. These markets import
in excess of a billion dollars of US-made computer
products. The publications are operated and edited
by local experts, and published in the language of
the computer people they serve. And they do an
excellent job of covering their markets.
To advertise in any of these publications, all you
have to do is contact us at Computerworld. We can
take care of everything, including translation and
resetting of your English-language ads. And our
International Marketing Services Division can also
help you arrange a broad range of marketing
services, from market potential studies to marketing
operations set-up.
Just send in the coupon, and we'll send you all the details —
including market facts on each country.
To: Mike Young, Sales Manager
International Marketing Services Division, Computerworld,
797 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02160
(617) 965-5800
I'm interested in your rate card and market facts for the following:
□ Shukan Computer, Japan □ Computer Management,
United Kingdom
□ Computerwoche, Germany □ Zero-Un Informatique,
France
□ DataNews, Brazil G I'd also like information on
your marketing services.
Name_
Title
COMPUTERWORLD
THE NEWSWEEKLY FOR THE COMPUTER COMMUNITY
Company _
Address _ _ City _
State _ Zip _ Phone
Page 60
nCOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
DATAPRODUCTS
Three Months Ended Dec
25
1976
1975
Shr Ernd
$.39
$.25
Revenue
30.031.000
22,786,000
Earnings
2,880,000
1,734,000
9 Mo Shr
1.22
.69
Revenue
84.912.000
61,688,000
Earnings
9,109,000
4,831,000
DPF
Three Months Ended Nov. 30
1976
1975
Shr Ernd
$.09
$.07
Revenue
6.597.000
5,278.000
Spec Cred
al 28,000
Tax Cred
(16,000)
27,000
Earnings
407.000
310,000
6 Mo Shr
.39
.10
Revenue
13,435,000
10.964,000
Spec Cred
al 28,000
Tax Cred
122,000
55,000
Earnings
1,692,000
426,000
a-Gain on repurchase of debentures.
HARRIS
Three Months Ended Dec. 31
1976
1975
Shr Ernd
$.74
$.52
Revenue
150,739,000
125,314,000
Earnings
9,453,000
6,565,000
6 Mo Shr
1.34
.99
Revenue
277,509,000
243,974,000
Earnings
17,047,000
12,416,000
PRIME
Year Ended Dec. 31
1976
1975
Shr Ernd
$1.04
Revenue
22,797,000
$11,387,000
Tax Cred
1,230,000
370,000
Earnings
2,429,000
692,000
3 Mo Shr
.40
Revenue
8,020,000
3,477,000
Tax Cred
504,000
158,000
Earnings
945,000
281,000
POSITION
dNNOUN«M€NTS
EDP
SPECIALISTS
Nationwide
• Co Internal Conslt To $36M
Houston, Tx, Major co
• Sr Anal Gen'l Ledger To $26M
2 billion volume, NYC co
• Multiple openings, Miami
To $25M
S.A. to mgrs D Base & D Cntrs
• DP Planner & proj mgrs
To $25M
Rochester, NY. Much growth!
Fees assumed by client co s
u;sui;, kavanagh
505 5th Av, NY, NY 10017
(212) 661-0670 (agency)
Corporate Inquiries Welcome
position announcements
I
position announcements
position announcements
position announcements
U.S. DEPT OF
TRANSPORTATION:
Chief, Info Systems Div
(GS-1 6/$39,600)
Office of Sec Transportation,
DC Supervisory staff pos responsi¬
ble for dev policies & plans for
mgmt info systems; evaluates &
follows-up to assure optimum
system utilization; assures effec¬
tive acquisition of equip & serv¬
ices. Exp in analysis, evaluation of
Govt mgmt info & ADP sys nec.
Submit in confidence by Mar 30
Standard Form 171 to:
Off of Mgmt Systems
TAD-223(2)
DOT, 400-7th St. SW
Wash, DC 20590
Equal Opportunity Employer
Systems Analyst
DEC System 20
We have an immediate opening
for an experienced individual with
a strong background in COBOL,
timesharing, and communications
in a business environment. Experi¬
ence on a DEC 10 or DEC 20
would be very helpful.
Roberts & Dybdahl is a growth-
oriented lumber and building ma¬
terials wholesaler with headquar¬
ters in Des Moines, Iowa. An ex¬
cellent opportunity exists in the
company for aggressive indi¬
viduals with the drive to excel on
their own initiative.
Please send resume and salary his¬
tory to:
Brad Mabuce
Personnel Manager
Roberts & Dybdahl Inc.
P.O. Box 1908
Des Moines, Iowa 50306
An Equal Opportunity Employer
EDP SALES
FIELD SERVICE ENGRS.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERS
RAY HARRIS
has placed over 1,000 people in
these professional areas.
Openings now exist thruout the
Eastern U.S. with all recruitment
and relocation fees paid. For de¬
tails contact Mr. Harris ar
LLOYD PERSONNEL
10 Cutter Mill Rd.
Great Neck, N.Y. 11021
(516) 466-6670
BANK
DATA PROCESSING MGR
Leading West Virginia financial in¬
stitution is seeking a proven infor¬
mation processing professional to
assume total responsibility for its
data processing function. We seek
a highly motivated, self starting,
shirt sleeves manager who can
provide leadership in determining
our bank’s information processing
requirements.
Candidates must have 3 - 5 years
of bank data processing experi¬
ence. An in-depth knowledge of
NCR hardware and banking soft¬
ware is required as well as excel¬
lent communications skills.
We can offer excellent career
growth potential, salary and bene¬
fits package to the qualified pro¬
fessional. If you think you are
ready to measure up, please sub¬
mit your resume in confidence or
call:
Mr. J.G. Quillen
The National Bank of Commerce
P.O. Box 633
Charleston, W.V. 25322
(304) 348-4566
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
DATA
PROCESSING
MANAGERS
Nationwide Corporation undergoing rapid expansion, based
in Washington DC is seeking Managers and Supervisors with
heavy EDP and Manual experience at all levels, with specific
experience in one of the following areas:
• EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS DEVELOP¬
MENT
Inventory control, material management and control sys¬
tems, distributive processing.
• EMPLOYEE INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOP¬
MENT
Payroll development, maintenance, Labor Distribution,
and Accounting Systems.
• DESIGN ENGINEER
Will provide technical advice and recommendations on
long or short term systems development and implementa¬
tion efforts. Heavy systems programming analysis and
design required. ..
All require proven ability in project management and effec¬
tive communications ability with Management and staff.
Send resume including salary history in strict confidence to:
CW Box 4928
797 Washington St,
Newton, Mass. 02160
Affirmative Action Employer M/F
ANALYST/PROGRAMMER
A leading Michigan-based multi
national wire manufacturer seeks
an individual to design, code, test
and implement a Human Re¬
sources Information System
(HRIS) application for the Corpo¬
ration. This Systems/Analyst will
work closely with Industrial Rela¬
tions, Payroll, and Benefits Ac¬
counting to develop and program
the HRIS system, providing the
client with problem solving capa¬
bilities. Clients have deep expert
ence and will provide strong lead¬
ership in this undertaking.
Applicants must have a minimum
of 4 years programming experi¬
ence as well as some experience
working directly with client/cus¬
tomers. Proficiency in ANS
COBOL a must and CICS experi¬
ence and/or Bachelors Degree is
desirable but not required. Ex¬
perience with payroll or account¬
ing would be desirable also. This
is a new position in a growing
EDP organization. Salary negoti¬
able and excellent benefits (pen¬
sion, medical, dentist, insurance).
We are an equal opportunity em¬
ployee, M/F. Please send resume
and salary requirements in confi¬
dence to:
National-Standard Company
601 N. 8th Street
Niles, Michigan 49120
Attention: R.G. Donoghue
Finding
the best
is
what
we do
best.
Our staff is expert at find¬
ing “the best person for the
job. ’’Most of our placement
managers are C.P.A.’s,C.A.’s,
controllers or systems mana¬
gers, the largest most experi¬
enced financial, banking and
data processing service in the
world.
We have expanded to 50
offices throughout the United
States, Canada and also Great
Britain.
We believe the combined
talent and skill of Robert Half
employees made us what we
are today.
Maybe we’re just what
you’re looking for.
I PERSONNEL
I AGENCIES
Wrrlds Largest Financial &. EDP
Pursonnd Specialists.
Call us.
We’re in the White Pages
in key areas throughout’ the
United States,
Canada and Great Britain.
WHAT IS YOUR FUTURE..
To determine this, you must know what options are available to you
in direct reference to your priorities . . . Salary — Gelgraphic Loca¬
tion — Advancement — State-of-the-Art Experience — Personal Re¬
quirements, etc. We have the professional experience to help clarify
these options for you.
We must have a profile or resume to determine the next step. Our
market is good; we feel the time is right for this important move.
DATA PROCESSING CAREERS, INC.
A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
DALLAS ... .
Suite 1 1 09, Stemmons Tower West
Dallas, Texas 75207
AUSTIN . . .
7715 Chevy Chase Drive, Suite 125
Austin, Texas 78752
TULSA . . .
Suite 10 Park 21 Building
2626 East Twenty-First Street
Tulsa, Oklahoma 741 14
KANSAS CITY . . .
Suite 502, 6405 Metcalf
Shawnee Mission. Kansas 66202
Personnel Consultants
Tom D. Rung
Jack Edwards
Die Lieser
Ron J. Maupin
Systems Programmer
position at Northern Illinois Uni¬
versity, 60 miles west of Chicago
in DeKalb, Illinois. Applicant
should have OS/MVT, HASP &
OS/VS2 (SVS/MVS) experience.
(The successful applicant will co¬
ordinate the efforts of other pro¬
grammers, assume responsibility
for nhajor software system mainte¬
nance, and be heavily involved in
the conversion from our 360/67
OS/MVT/HASP system to a com¬
bined 360/370 environment.) Ap¬
plicant must be a university grad¬
uate and have 3 years experience
in systems programming OR any
combination of university training
& systems programming totaling 7
years with no less than 3 years in
either. Salary range is $1205 to
$1810 per month.
Excellent benefits and working
conditions. Send resume to Per¬
sonnel Office, Northern Illinois
University, DeKalb, IL 60115.
You may wish to call: Michael
Stack, Manager, Systems Program¬
ming at (815) 753-0496 in the
afternoon (collect).
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
EMPLOYER
PRODUCT
MARKETING MANAGER
Franklin Electric’s programmed
power division in northern Cali¬
fornia has. an immediate opening
for an aggressive and creative
systems product manager for its
award winning solid-state uninter¬
ruptible power systems and fre¬
quency converters. Ideal candi¬
date will have proven background
in power electronics and good fa¬
miliarity with power requirements
for large mainframe computers.
Excellent opportunity for career
advancement in an exciting
growth field.
Please send resume and salary his¬
tory to:
Marketing Manager
Franklin Electric Company
Programmed Power Division
995 Benicia Ave.
Sunnyvale. CA 94086
Equal Opportunity Employer
EDP Professionals
The Jarvis Walker Groups, specialists in Data Processing
Recruiting, represent client companies .. ..in all areas of
industry . . . across the nation. There continues to be exten¬
sive client needs at various technical levels; with particular
interest in candidates experienced in the development of
mini-computer systems (applications & software); & indi¬
viduals with excellent project management skills in a 370/
OS/VS environment. Salaries from $16,000-$30,000.
If you feel that your present position does not afford you the
necessary career growth; please call or send letter/resume to
the appropriate office & one of our associates will be happy
to discuss specific client situations with you.
N.Y.
N.J.
CALIF.
tiejarus water group
535-5th Ave., N.Y.C. 10017
(212) 867-2650
349 E. Northfield Rd., Livingston, N.J. 07039
(201) 994-3773
11222 La Cienega Blvd., Inglewood, CA. 90304
(213) 670-7353 _ A
Fast growing company, located in New York City area,
has excellent growth opportunities for several hardwork¬
ing people.
Mini computer Programmers
' To $30,000
Requirements include at least 2 years experience with
assembler language for any mini-computer. Knowledge of
RSX 11 desirable.
fieie Service legineer
Minimum 2 years experience in servicing of PDP-11
equipment. PDP-11/45 or 70 experience desirable. Must
be willing to travel. Salary commensurate with experi¬
ence.
Send resume to:
COMPOSITION SYSTEMS, INC.
570 Taxter Road, Elmsford, N.Y. 10523
V
February 28, 1977
SCOMPUTERWORLD
Page 6 1
I
position announcements
, position announcements
position announcements
position announcements
I
position announcements
SYSTEMS ANALYSTS
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, a leader in delivering health care to
lowans, has immediate openings for Systems Analysts. Traditionally a
leader in the “State of the Art” systems, our online, real time applications
have been reviewed by business organizations from around the world.
Current configuration includes an IBM 370/158 operating with MVS using
4 meg of real storage. Disk storage for immediate access is accomplished
using 3350’s and 3330's. We are in the process of implementing IMS
DB/DC as our Data Base Management and Communication System. TSO is
used extensively as a programmer productivity tool.
Our in-house training staff continually monitors and administers educa¬
tional needs using video and audio aids and vendor training facilities.
Tuition assistance is available to offer the systems professional continuing
formal education.
Our applications systems departments are organized within functional areas
utilizing a team approach throughout the system cycle. Our users of Data
Processing services have recognized the benefits to be derived from
computerization and readily participate in setting priorities, assisting
within information gathering, evaluating phases of design, testing and
Implementation.
Expansion of our systems departments will accomplish applications in¬
volving membership processing, claims payment, accounting systems, sta¬
tistical systems and several management information systems.
To qualify you’ll need two to six years of systems or programming
experience. A degree in business, mathematics or computer science is
desirable. You must be mature, highly motivated, and capable of working
with various levels of personnel within and outside the company.
An excellent compensation package including extensive fringe benefits
complement this opportunity to join a team of professionals in an exciting
development plan. Local interviews may be arranged. Submit resume in
confidence (including salary history) to:
Blue Cross and Blue -Shield of Iowa
636 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50307
DATA BASE
ANALYST
Conn, corp expanding into
D.B. Systems. Excellent opty.
for indiv. to evaluate & plan
future Data Bases. Exp in IMS,
TOTAL or ADABASE is help¬
ful. Salary' to $18,000 (fee
paid). Other D.B. positions to
$25K avail in other locations.
Contact Stan Durbas (in confi¬
dence).
fl ROBERT HALF
[jf’CUSONNCt AKEMCIES
1 1 1 Pearl Street
Hartford, Conn 06103
(203) 278-7170
DATA PROCESSING
DIRECTOR
Opportunity for aggressive indi¬
vidual with successful background
and experience . supervising all
phases of data processing. Must
have thorough knowledge of pro¬
gramming and systems, and abil¬
ity to organize, direct and' impl-
ment a project frcm start to fin¬
ish. Salary range mid $20s. An
Equal Opportunity Employer.
Send resume to:
City of Jackson, Michigan.
Personnel & Labor Relations Dept.
161 W. Michigan Avenue
Jackson, Michigan 49201
/Systems
nw/i a mining
Manager
With Heavy Experience in Business Systems
For Durable Goods Manufacturing
We need an unusual sort of EDP professional — one who is capable of
supervising a department, yet enjoys pitching in with actual design and
programming work.
We’re a medium-sized, multi-division, international manufacturer of
sophisticated electronic instruments and components. Our plans for
expansion mean continuing growth opportunities for you!
To qualify, you should possess 5-10 years experience in 360/370
DOS/VS systems with heavy emphasis on manufacturing applications
(CICS and D’BOMP) and proficiency in COBOL and RPG II. Familiar¬
ity with PAL on PDPA would be helpful.
We can offer you a salary commensurate with your experience,
excellent benefits, and a stimulating and challenging professional
opportunity Agency inquiries are invited. To apply, send your resume
with salary requirements in confidence to or:
Call COLLECT: John Hogan (516) 694-4200
INSTRUMENTS INC.
515 BROAD HOLLOW RD.,
® MELVILLE, L.I., NEW'YORK 11746
Equal Opportunity Employer M/F
SYSTEMS
PROGRAMMERS
Three positions exist in an expanding technical
support group. Qualified persons will either partici¬
pate in the conversion from OS to SVS using two
370/158 Computers or the evaluation of an in-house
timesharing system.
Skills required include 3 to 4 years experience in
OS/VS intervals, SYSGENS, Telecommunications,
Timsharing Control Programs and/or CICS/VS.
Excellent salary, top benefits and growth potential
with this energy leader. Send complete resume includ¬
ing salary history to Personnel Department:
AMERICAN NATURAL
SERVICE COMPANY
One Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48226
An Equal Opportunity
Employer M/F
ENGINEERS /SYSTEMS ANALYSTS
GRS. Going in the right
direction for you.
Join GRS, the world's largest manufacturer of
rapid transit control systems and equipment.
We invite you to join us in designing and manufacturing flexible and capable systems for urban centers
internationally - for conventional rail, monorail, and guideway rubber-tired vehicles. In a Fortune "500"
corporation, you will earn the best in salary and extremely attractive benefits. Yet, you will have the
challenge and excitement of a closely knit company determined to produce only the finest in automatic and
manual controls. We need your help to move 185 million people into the future.
As an employee at GRS, you will have fully-paid health and life insurance. You are eligible for long term
disability, dental/health, retirement, vacation, and bonus plan benefits. We also cover the cost of relocation.
We believe in providing for the needs of our employees.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
Real Time, process control analysis and programming using mini computers. FORTRAN background a must.
Assembler helpful. 2 years related experience. Junior and senior level openings.
If you are interested, please submit a
resume and salary requirements to:
MOVING?
Please notify Computerworld at
least four weeks in advance. When
writing about your subscription,
please enclose a recent mailing
label. The code line on top may
not mean much to you, but it is
the only way we have of quickly
identifying your records. If you
are receiving duplicate copies,
please send both labels.
797 Washington Street
Newton, Massachusetts 02160
COMPUTER ANALYST
PROGRAMMER
Minimum 3 yrs. experience DOS/
RPGII. Also DOS/COBOL. This is
a key management position. You
will design and implement com¬
puter programs, negotiate rates.
You run the .program at the com¬
puter center, supervise in-house
terminal input and brief manage¬
ment on problem trends in com¬
puter runs. Evening work at com¬
puter center part of the job. Top
pay, profit shring & management
bonus + fringe benefits. Send re¬
sume to ABA Industries, Inc. P.O.
Box 510, Pinellas Park. FL 33565
Attn. Marco Del Grande.
Equal Opportunity Employer.
ACADEMIC LIAISON ANALYST
SALARY:
Commensurate with education
and experience.
EDUCATION:
B.S. Degree required. M.S. Degree
desirable. (Both degrees obtained
in a scientific discipline.)
EXPERIENCE:
Thorough knowledge of and ex¬
perience in applied statistics. Sev¬
eral years of experience in analyst
and programming work of sci¬
entific and/or statistical nature.
EXPERIENCE:
Qualifications:
1. Must have the ability to work
with faculty and students giv¬
ing programming and statisti¬
cal consultation to the aca¬
demic computer users.
2. Knowledge of large scale com¬
puter operation at systems
level.
3. Diversity in knowledge of pro¬
gramming languages.
Duties & Responsibilities:
1. Direct the activities of the
Academic Liaison section of a
computer center in a medium¬
sized University (7200 stu¬
dents). This includes the super¬
vision of two analyst/program¬
mer assistants.
2. Serve as chairman of the
"Computer Users Group”.
3. Serve as a member of the
“Computer Resources Com¬
mittee”.
4. Act as advisor of the “Fa¬
culty Research Committee” on
computer related research
proposals.
This is a full time, twelve month
position. Send resume to: Mr.
H.B. Kerr, Director, The D.W.
Mattson Computer Center, Ten¬
nessee Technological University,
Cookeville, TN 38501.
WE ARE AN AFFIRMATIVE
ACTION/EQUAL OPPOR¬
TUNITY EMPLOYER. WE COM¬
PLY WITH TITLE IX OF THE
EDUCATIONAL AMEND-
EMENTS OF 1972.
GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY
A unit of General Signal Corporation
P. O. Box 600/ Rochester. New York 14602
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F
ASSISTANT MANAGER-
DA TACOMMUNICA TIONS
New York based International Telecommunications Company
requires an Assistant Manager, in datacommunications, experienced
on computerized switching equipment. Knowledge of assembler
languages and computer hardwares is required, knowledge of DEC
PDP-1 1 equipment is desirable.
Please forward resume and salary requirements to:
CW Box 4930
797 Washington St.
Newton, Mass. 02160
An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F
Just Out!
The New
i
1977
Computer
Salary
Survey
end Career Plannin^Guide
Call for your
FREE copy today!
Source Edp’s 1977 Computer Salary Survey is now available.
This authoritative and up-to-the-minute report will allow you to
compare your compensation directly with professionals across
the country performing the same duties you perform. It also
examines in detail the strategies and techniques thousands of
successful computer professionals have used to enhance their
careers. After fifteen years of recruiting experience, Source Edp
knows how you can gain broader professional exposure,
maximize your compensation and break into management.
It’s all in Source Edp's 1977 Computer Salary Survey and
career planning guide.
For your FREE copy, call the Source Edp
office nearest you.
East
Boston
Greenwich
New York/
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Washington, D.C.
Midwest
Chicago
Oak Brook, III.
Cleveland
Detroit
Kansas City, Mo.
Minneapolis
St. Louis
617/237-3120
203/869-5977
201/687-8700
215/665-1717
703/790-5610
312/782-0857
312/986-0422
216/771-2070
313/352-6520
816/474-3393
612/544-3600
314/862-3800
South/Southwest
Atlanta
Dallas
Denver
Fort Worth
Houston
New Orleans
West Coast
Irvine, Ca.
Los Angeles
Palo Alto
San Francisco
Torrance, Ca.
404/325-8370
214/387-1600
303/773-3700
817/338-9300
713/626-8705
504/561-6000
714/833-1730
213/386-5500
415/328-7155
415/434-2410
213/540-7500
source
<>p
(When writing, please be sure to in¬
dicate home address and current
position title.)
If unable to call, write:
Source Edp
Department C-8
721 Enterprise
Oak Brook, Illinois 60521
Page 62
f^COMPVTERWODLO
February 28, 1977
position announcements
position announcements
position announcements
position announcements
I
position announcements
DIRECTOR
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS 8« PROGRAMMING
The Director is responsible for the supervision ot both
function and personnel who's mission is to conceptualize,
develop, test, document and maintain applications computer
programs.
He/she is responsible for managing all available resources to
accomplish mission; for developing and maintaining a "user
oriented atmosphere"; and will act as technical consultant to
subordinates.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Demonstrated management and technical competence in
computer applications, preferably using large-scale computers
with remote real time terminals in an educational environ¬
ment.
REQUIREMENTS:
A bachelor's and master's in a field(s) appropriate to job
responsibilities from an accredited institu t ion (s) ; five years of
experience in systems analysis and programming related to
computer applications, two of which must have been super¬
visory; significant experience in systems analysis and pro¬
gramming using ANS COBOL, the use of utilities and the use
of computer operating systems while developing applications.
Significant experience beyond minimum requirements may
be substituted for graduate degree.
SALARY:
$18,720-$24,618, plus liberal employee benefits.
Resumes accepted through March 8, 1977. Write:
PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT
MIAMI-DADE COMMUNITY COLLLEGE
11011 Southwest 104 Street
Miami, Florida 33176
AIM EQUAL ACCESS/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMUNITY
COLLEGE
CONNECTICUT &
NEW YORK CITY EDP
Data Base A dm • $30,000
Supervise technical staff of IMS/
TP specialists. 370 A-L. and PL-1
coding desired.
Technical Support $24,000
Specialist in trouble shooting,
large scale operating systems. Re¬
quires OS-1 nternals.
ProgT Analysts $22,000
Strong applications development
group needs COBOL or PL-1 pro¬
grammers with mgmt potential.
As specialists to all levels of EDP
personnel, we currently have
numerous career opportunities for
above average professionals.
Please call or write:
THE ASSOCIATES
OF GREENWICH
64 Greenwich Ave
Greenwich, CT 06830
(203) 661-6010 (212) 931-9020
Client companies assume
all fees
FLORIDA
OPENINGS
Wouln’t you really rather live in
Florida? We have many openings
in the Sunshine State for data
processing professionals. Send
your resume or letter on a strictly
confidential basis with no obliga¬
tion. All of our fees are paid by
our client companies of course.
DUNHILL OF TAMPA, INC.
1000 Ashley St.,
Tampa, FL 33602
FINANCIAL
MODELS
Programmer analyst positions to develop corporate planning
and financial models utilizing both an IBM 360/370 OS
environment and commercial time sharing systems.
Experience and educational background should include FOR¬
TRAN, finance and accounting.
Excellent growth opportunity in this energy system. Send
your resume to the Personnel Department:
AMERICAN NATURAL
SERVICE COMPANY
One Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48226
An Equal Opportunity
Employer M/F
Cobol
Programmer /Analysts
Rapidly expanding health care computer
service bureau specializing in financial
applications seeks Cobol Programmer/
Analysts with 5 years experience. (OS ex¬
perience desirable).
Growth opportunity with excellent bene¬
fits. Degree required.
Send resume and complete salary history
to Michael Kaufman.
85Q BOYLSTON ST (ROUTE 9)
CHESTNUT HILL. MASS 02167
communications
software
development
SAN FRANCISCO PENINSULA
Intel Corporation, the world leader in microprocessor tech¬
nology, is seeking experienced software professionals for our
data communications group. This is your opportunity to play
a key role in the design and development of sophisticated
multi-processor-based communications systems.
You will work closely with hardware development and use
the latest microprocessor components and peripherals. To
qualify, you should have experience in one or more of these
areas:
• Data communications and networks
• Real-time operating systems and modern
operating system design theory
• VTAM, TCAM, BTAM, etc.
Experience with high-level system implementation languages
and the design of operating systems and systems software for
micro- or mini-computers plus an MS or PhD in computer-
science or related field desirable.
For immediate and confidential
please send your resume with salary
Intel Memory Systems, 1302 N
Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086. Ar
Opportunity Employer M/F.
MEMORY
SYSTEMS
********
UNIT SUPERVISOR
SENIOR ANALYST
Ball State University has oppor¬
tunities for permanent staff in the
University Computer Center. The
Center is a centralized dept, serv¬
ing the administrative, instruc¬
tional and research areas of the
University with an IBM 360/50
and DEC 1070.
UNIT SUPERVISOR: Plan and
direct the activities of a systems
analysis and programming unit.
Starting salary to $18,500.
SENIOR ANALYST: Work with
management and users to solve
highly technical systems prob¬
lems. Experienced with student
record and/or full financial sys¬
tems in a university environment
desired.
BS in Computer Science with 2-3
years experience required. Excel¬
lent fringe benefits. Applicant
deadline 3/18/77. Send resume
to: BALL STATE UNIVERSITY,
Personnel Services Office, Muncie,
Ind. 47306
Equal Opportunity /Affirmative
Action Employer
tem impiememauon languages ■«
stems and systems software for
s an MS or PhD in computer
ntial consideration,
salary history to ^
N. Mathilda^* ’
An
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION
SYSTEM DIRECTOR
State Education Planning and Re¬
porting System. Staff position to
Idaho State Board of Education,
responsible for all levels of educa¬
tion. Administer current proc¬
essing of public school programs
and servcies, oversee development
of vocational education system,
and coordinate all postsecondary
reporting. Requires in-depth data
processing experience, ability to
interact with education profes¬
sionals, and talent for operation.
Will supervise 25 data processing
personnel, interface with com¬
puter services supplier, and pro¬
mote effective computer usage by
schools.
Salary $22,000 - $23,000. Appli¬
cations close March 31, 1977.
Send complete resume with em¬
ployment history, educational
background and references to:
Milton Small, Executive Director,
Office of the State Board of Edu¬
cation, 650 W. State St., LBJ
Bldg., #307, Boise, Id. 83720,
(208) 384-2270.
AN/UYK-7
NEWPORT, R.l.
Several immediate and future openings exist for Systems
Analysts/Programmers in our Newport operation. Previous
experience in Fire control or Real Time Command and
Control Systems is required. Areas of involvement include
Systems Design, Test and Evaluation and Simulations.
Systems Consultants, Inc. is a nationally known systems
engineering firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. These
positions offer competitive starting salary, fringe benefits and
relocation expenses.
If interested, send a resume and salary requirements, in
confidence, to:
SYSTEMS CONSULTANTS, INC.
Dept. V, P.O. 330
Middletown, R.l. 02840
an equal opportunity employer
L
SYSTEMS CONSULTANTS INC
T
COMPUTER SYSTEMS
As one of the midwest’s leading multi-divisional management
and systems consulting organizations, our steady growth
requires top professionals in the following areas:
Systems Programmers
Honeywell 6000.
Specialized in IBM 370/OS and
• Business and Scientific Applications Analysts/Programmers
- Experienced in Honeywell 6000 GECOS, IBM 370 series.
Burroughs and Xerox systems. ,
• Real-Time Communication and Process Control Program¬
mers — Experienced in IBM S/7, HP 2100, and Varian 600.
600.
Top salaries, moving allowance and fully-paid fringes includ¬
ing life, health and dental Insurance, and educational bene¬
fits. Call or send your resume to:
M.I.S. INTERNATIONAL, INC.
31350 Smith Rd.
Romulus, Ml 48174
(313) 326-7010
.Equal Opportunity Employer
Programming & Analyst
Opportunities in N. H.
Expanding operations at the NGM Group have created
the following career opportunities in a challenging
environment.
Senior Programmers —
3 years Property/Casualty programming.
ANS COBOL necessary. DOS/VS helpful.
Systems Analysts —
2 years strong Programming/Analyst IBM
360/370 and business systems analysis.
ANS COBOL, DOS/VS with CRT
usage helpful.
/
Programmer A —
Agressive generalist/development experience.
DOS/VS, CRT, SPM, Pro party /Casualty
insurance are plusses.
Programmer B —
At least 2 years broad experience in IBM shop.
DOS/VS, CRT, SPM are plusses. Insurance
experience not mandatory.
To find out more about these positions at a fast growing
insurance group in scenic Southwestern New Hampshire,
send a full resume in confidence to G. Knorr Jr.
the
Group
National Grange Mutual Insurance Co.
NGM Fire and Casualty Insurance Co.
Maine Fidelity Life Insurance Co.
55 West Street, Keene, New Hampshire 03431
An Equal Opportunity Employer
February 28, 1977
nCMPUTERWORLD
Page 63
position announcements
position announcements
position announcements
position announcements
position announcements
MIS
Professionals...
SIMPLEX, a leading manufacturer of
time systems, has several newly-created
professional growth opportunities for in¬
dividuals who are innovative and creative.
SYSTEMS
ANALYSTS
Degree plus 5-8 years' related experience
(2 as analyst). IBM DOS/VS 370-145
manufacturing and materials and/or fi¬
nance sales background.
PROGRAMMER
Degree plus 4 years' related experience.
Must know COBOL language; manufac¬
turing exposure desirable.
Our rural north-central Mass, location,
minutes from New Hampshire, provides
an attractive blend of suburban and coun¬
try living and seasonal recreational activi¬
ties, coupled with a dose proximity to
metropolitan Boston area.
Good starting salary plus attractive fringe
benefits. Interested, qualified candidates
please send resume, stating salary require¬
ments, to: John MacKinnon, Simplex
Time Recorder Company, 26 S. Lincoln
Street, Cardner, Mass. 01440.
s Simplex
TIME RECORDER COMPANY
An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F
Two computer science faculty va¬
cancies available at Elizabethtown
College Sept. 1.
One involves teaching in the Busi¬
ness Information Systems area for
which applicant should have back¬
ground or course work in CO¬
BOL, systems analysis and design,
computer modeling, and corn-
communication based systems.
Knowledge of software and as¬
sembly language programming
beneficial. The second involves
teaching in the pure Computer
Science area for which applicant
should have background in data
structures, organization, interfac¬
ing and scientific programming.
Both require master's degree with
additional degrees and/or experi¬
ence desirable. Rank and salary
dependent on qualifications, and
experience . Benefits. A private,
liberal arts college with 1,450 stu¬
dents. Major computing facility
is a DEC-10 with 128K word
memory, 24 ports, and 125M
words of online disk space.
Deadline for applications: April
15. Send resume, letters of refer¬
ence, and transcripts to Personnel
Office, Alpha Hall, Elizabethtown
College, Elizabethtown, PA
17022. An affirmative action/
equal opportunity employer.
21 SHOESTRING
START-AT-HOME
COMPUTER
BUSINESSES
113 page research report uncovers
areas never published, plus hun¬
dreds of how-to-do-it ideas on
moonlighting, starting up, image
building, bidding, contracts, fail¬
ure signals, and much more. A
superior career planning tool.
$12.00 (check, Mastercharge,
Bankamericard) Guaranteed Re¬
fundable,, to DATASEARCH
INC., Suite 108, Dept. G, Deer¬
field. IL 60015.
PROGRAMMER/ANALYST
Leading Dallas Electronics Com¬
pany seeking sharp, degreed appli¬
cants for numerous Staff Pro¬
grammer/Analyst positions. Client
company has several new com¬
mercial projects requiring scien¬
tific application professionals,
junior level through system design
and architecture. Preference will
be given to backgrounds in tele¬
communication switching, data
transmission with multi-process
real time micro/mini processing
experience. Salary above average-
Fee paid. Excellent benefits.
North Dallas location with pro¬
gression to project management
positions possible. Call COLLECT
or send resume to: Key Personnel
services, 1st Bank & Trust Bldg.,
Richardson, TX 75080, (214)
235-8371.
Manufacturing Systems
PROGRAMMER
ANALYSTS
Our aggressive Management Information
Systems staff is seeking programmer analysts
to join our corporate headquarters in Phoenix.
We provide a professional environment which
encourages new ideas and concepts in pro¬
gram applications and requires heavy inter¬
face with user departments.
Our specific needs are in the area of manufac¬
turing applications such as inventory control,
MRP, CFMS, and purchasing.
Your background should include an undergraduate
degree and 2 years of O/S programming/systems
analysis experience using COBOL and IBM 360-50
or larger equipment. Wide exposure to all levels of
management makes communication skills essential.
Experience ' in on-line minicomputer systems would
be a definite plus.
If you would like to explore a MIS career opportunity
in a city known for its sunny climate and casual life
style, please send your resume to:
Wanita Zarumba, Group Personnel Manager
ARMOUR-DIAL COMPANY
1 1 1 W. Clarendon Phoenix, AZ 85077
An Equal Opportunity Employer — M/F
Software
Specialists
Are you satisfied where you are?
Digital Equipment Corporation, the world’s leading manufacturer of small and medium scale computers, has multiple openings throughout the
United States for qualified, career-oriented individuals.
Currently, we seek highly experienced Software Specialists with a background in the following areas:
• Timesharing business applications development
• Operating system development and modification
• Real time event driven interrupt applications
• Communications and network development
• Program conversion techniques
• COBOL, Fortran, RPG, Assembly
• Experience with Digital’s equipment using RSTS/E,
RSXII.orlASisaplus.
\
We have the kind of environment which recognizes contributions and rewards innovative
thinking, and wo welcome your input from the very first day you join our team.
If this is the kind of environment where you want to be, then we want to hear from you. Please
send your resume in complete confidence to: Mr. George Peterman, Digital Equipment Cor¬
poration, NORAM CENTRAL EMPLOYMENT, 162 Main Street, Dept. K-228, Maynard, Mass.
01754. We are an equal opportunity employer, m/f.
g i t a
digital equipment corporation
Page 64
BCOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
position announcements
I
position announcements
I
position announcements
position announcements
position announcements
ADP CAREERS SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
The State of New Mexico, Division of Automated Data Processing has the following openings:
• Data Base Analyst • Systems Analyst
•Senior Programmers 'Programmers
Hardware consists of 370/1458 and 370/145, a teleprocessing network of some 200 terminals.
We are using OS/SVS with HASP, CICS, COBOL, ATMS/STAIRS, APL, PL/I, FORTRAN IV,
ASSEMBLY, INTERACTIVE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT VM/370. We are also moving towards
VTAM, SNA, and SDLC devices.
Working conditions are excellent as ADP is moving to a new building to be used exclusively by
ADP personnel.
Opportunities for professional growth are excellent. Salary and fringe benefits are competitive.
Interested individuals should contact:
Mr. Gerald R. Gingras
Chief, Division of Automated Data Processing
PERA Building Room 103
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503
An application for employment will be forwarded to you promptly.
MODCOMP
BUSINESS
SYSTEMS
MODCOMP BUSINESS SYSTEMS is a wholly owned sub¬
sidiary of Modular Computer Systems, Inc., of Fort Lauder¬
dale, Florida.
We have immediate openings in the Boston area for:
PROGRAMMERS
These positions require:
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent
• 2-5 years programming experience
• Potential to act as lead on one or more projects
For additional information on these positions please send
your resume or contact:
Personnel Director
MODCOMP BUSINESS SYSTEMS
21 Worthen Road
Lexington, M A 02173
(617) 862-9292
An equal opportunity employer m/f
Manufacturing
Systems Analyst
Northeast Electronics, the leading manufacturer of telecom¬
munications test equipment, has an excellent job opportunity
for a Data Processing professional.
To qualify, you must have an appropriate Associate's or
Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of 4 years experience in
systems design and analysis in a manufacturing environment.
In addition, you should be well-experienced in the areas of:
• Engineering and production data control
• Product costing
• Inventory accounting
• Material requirements planning
• Production control
• Capacity planning
You should possess excellent communications skills.
Your main responsibility will be to implement the IPICS
Manufacturing Control System on our in-house System/3
Model 15. You will also conduct feasibility studies, determine
user requirements, and train users.
If you meet these requirements and want to work with a
growing company in central New Hampshire, send your
resume and salary requirements in confidence to:
Don Chase, Employment Manager
nORTHEA/T
CTI
ELECTROniC/
ret
P.0. Box 649
Concord, N.H. 03301
1977/1952 A Quarter Century of Excellence
an equal opportunity employer \
THE RESUME
SYNDROME
19 of 20 resumes end up in some¬
body’s wastebasket. If you want
your resume to be the 1 in 20
that gets results, ask for our free
booklet "How To Write A Re¬
sume”. In fact, send your resume
and we’ll critique it. All replies
held in strictest confidence. 100%
company retained search consul¬
tants.
The
National
Personnel
DiinM
OF DEARBORN. INC.
Parklane Towers West, Suite 519
Dearborn, Ml 48126 (3131 336-7990
BUSINESS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
-Permanent faculty opening begin¬
ning September, 1977 at the assis¬
tant or associate professor rank.
Salary range: $13,250-$18,660.
Duties include teaching all levels
of undergraduate and some gradu¬
ate business systems analysis
courses. MBA with concentration
in business systems analysis, 40
credits toward DBA or PhD, and
four or five years teaching or re¬
lated business experience re¬
quired. Send applications to
Search Committee, Business Man¬
agement Department, Indiana
University of Pennsylvania, In¬
diana, Pa. 15701, by April 1,
1977.
An Affirmative Action/
Equal Opportunity Employer
MANAGER
-PROGRAMMING
Rte 128 - Boston
$24,000 to $26,000
SR. PROGRAMMER
/ANALYST
No. New Englund
$16,000 plus $4,500 BONUS
Jixzizx Associates
Executive Re c miters
680 Lafayette Road
Hampton, N.H. 03842
^1(603) 926^71^^#
YOUR COMPUTER CAN'T
FIND THE JOB FOR YOU.
OURS CAN.
175 Professional Firms
in 1 30 Metro Areas
AVAILABILITY, INC.
Data Services Consultants
1300 N. Westshore Blvd.
Tampa, Florida 33607
(813) 872-2631
JIM KING & ASSOCIATES
EDP Division
438 Gulf Life Tower
Jacksonville, Florida 32207
(904) 398-7371
D. BROWN & ASSOCIATES
Data Processing Division
619 S.W. Alder, Suite 711
Portland, Oregon 97205
(503) 224-6860
Specialists in the placement of
EDP Professionals.
SENIOR PROGRAMMER ANALSTS
Minicomputer Manufacturer
Join a leader in financial information services
utilizing a nationwide network of more than 1000
on-line computer systems.
You'll need knowledge and experience in the
following:
• Assembly language programming
• Real-Time environments including
data communications
• Interrupt driven devices
• Real-Time Operating System structures
Send resume in confidence to (no agencies please)
Personnel Dept C-228.
□uOTROn
SYSTEMS, IIXIC.
325 Hudson Street
New York, New York 10013
An Equal
Opportunity
Employer M F
PROGRAMMER ANALYSTS
1-2 Years Experience
Our Growth is Your Opportunity!
NCR's Terminal Systems Division at Ithacs, New York is a
leader -in the data terminal industry. We invite you to grow
with us.
Qualifications:
• Assembly language programming experience; microproces¬
sor preferred
• Basic operating systems and file management experience
• Communications experience a plus
Outstanding compensation and benefits package. Relocation
assistance, if hired. Send resume, including salary history and
requirements to:
Michael A. Friedenberg, Dept. 228
Professional Recruitment
Terminal Systems Division
NCR Corporation
950 Danby Road
Ithaca, N.Y. 14850
NCR
An Equal Opportunity Employer
Engineering
Applications
Programmer
San Francisco Peninsula
GTE Sylvania has an opening for a design automation
programmer. BS in Engineering or Math required with a
minimum of 2 years' experience in engineering applications.
Experience with CAD, IBM 370, JCL, TSO and COBOL
desirable. We offer an -environment that includes an IBM
370/158 VS-2 System with TSO andIMS/DC.
You will be responsible for the programming and implemen¬
tation of engineering applications in the area of Computer
Aided Design for both hardware and software. The ability to
work closely with engineers for development and testing of
applications is a must.
Interested candidates should refer resume, including salary
history /requirements to GTE Sylvania Inc., Dept. CW-34,
P.O. Box 188, Mountain View, CA. 94040. An equal oppor¬
tunity employer m/f. Minority applicants are encouraged to
apply. U.S. citizenship is required.
Syu/ANIA
February 28, 1977
EH3 Computer world
Page 65
position announcements
I
position announcements
/
MINICOMPUTER
OPERATING SYSTEM
DESIGNERS
We need several highly qualified people to play leading roles
in the creation of a time sharing system for small business
and data base management environments. Our developments
employ state-of-the-art techniques, including a high level
system programming language, top-down design, module
decomposition based upon information hiding and the use of
structured programming. A minimum of 5-8 years experience
in operating system or compiler development is required plus
the determination to see that things are done the right way.
IF YOU'RE THE BEST PROGRAMMER YOU
KNOW, CONTACT US. IF YOU ARE THE SECOND
BEST, TELL THE OTHER GUY.
Please mail
494-5311.
resume or phone: Mr. George Mead (513)
©D[j^©DD^]^TD
MILACRON
PROCESS CONTROLS DIVISION
Lebanon, Ohio 45036
An Equal Opportunity Employer
Pragrammer/nnolvsts
Programmers
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LINK YOUR ADVANCEMENT TO OURS
Western Union International, a major worldwide communica¬
tions network, seeks creative and technically accomplished pro¬
fessionals to join our pace-setting leadership in the industry.
PROGRAMMER/ ANALYSTS Message Switching
Outstanding opportunities for rapid advancement based on
performance to supervisory levels. Initial responsibilities will
include problem definition, software design, implementation,
test and integration related to a major message switching system.
Minimum 3 years experience in similar assignments necessary.
PROGRAMMERS
Exciting challenge for programmers with a minimum of 4-5 years
experience with ALP and real-time message switching systems.
Will be responsible for analysis, design and development of
communications software for message switching systems.
Salaries for the above positions, based in our NYC headquarters,
are fully commensurate with your expereince, and are coupled
with a liberal program of company-paid benefits. For considera¬
tion, in strict confidence, please send resume indicating salary
history, current requirement, and position of interest to: DI¬
RECTOR OF PERSONNEL, Dept. CW
UfVf
WESTERN UNION INTERNATIONAL
26 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10004
An equal opportunity employer M/F
B Computer Systems
of America, tnc.
V.W. Garrett, Sr.V.P.
141 Milk Street
Boston, MA 02109
(617)482-4671
/
§01 offers:
unlimited income to
360/370 leasing pros
CSA, an acknowledged leader in the computer leasing indus¬
try, is experiencing rapid growth. In conjunction with this
growth, CSA has immediate requirements for outstanding,
experienced 360/370 leasing and remarketing professionals.
CSA offers an excellent package. A liberal, progressive com¬
mission plan provides Unlimited Income Potential. Base
salary is commensurate with your experience and proven
abilities.
This is an outstanding opportunity to participate in the
present and future growth of a major computer equipment
lessor.
Interested parties should forward their resumes to:
position announcements
position announcements
position announcements
Software
Development
INTERDATA has what you need:
Professional Growth
Technical Challenge
State of the Art
Environment
Recogonition
Competitive Salary
Excellent Benefits
As a leader in a thriving industry, only INTER DATA can offer you challenging
opportunities that keep up with your expanding talents. Join our highly
professional environment and shape tomorrow's state of the art computer
software. Our suburban Monmouth County location provides you and your
family with a superior lifestyle. Our rapid growth has created openings in our
New Development Facility in Tinton Falls, NJ. in the following area:
S/W Development
Senior level and supervisory positions in a variety of areas in the s/w
development group including Operating Systems, s/w utilities, networks, data
communications, compilers, s/w quality assurance, and diagnostics.
Send your resume including salary history in strictest confidence to: Bill
Beattie: or call (201) 747-7300
A UNIT OF
PERKIN-ELMER DATA SYSTEMS
1 06 Apple St., Tinton Falls, New Jersey 07724
Equal Opportunity Employer M/F
HOSPITAL
DATA PROCESSING MANAGER
This position plans, directs, ana
controls the operations of hos¬
pital administrative computer
systems from data preparation
through report generation. Leads
development efforts into new ap¬
plication areas for both adminis¬
trative and clinical functions.
Major teaching hospital in upper
midwest. Requires degree plus 3
years experience, preferably su¬
pervisory in systems and data
processing in a hospital setting.
Salary: $18,000 to $22,000 de-.
pending upon qualifications.
CW Box 4926
797 Washington St.
Newton, Mass. 02160
An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEEDS
COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS
Our Data Processing staff is pre¬
paring for a transition to the proj¬
ect team concept. Your experi¬
ence and input at this exciting
time offers challenge and involve¬
ment. If you are looking for a
fulfilling programming position,
this is it!
Consider an excellent benefits
package, special training pro¬
grams, the amenities of N.H. life,
a progressive working envirom-
ment and a competitive starting
salary.
Qualifications include two years
hands-on experience and knowl¬
edge of COBOL, BAL and/or Au¬
tocoder. Familiarity with an IBM
370/135 DOS/VS environment or
knowledge of insurance applica¬
tions would be a plus.
Send resume and salary history
to:
United Life and
Accident Insurance Co.
Attn: Employment Manager
One Granite Place
Concord, N.H. 03301
An Equal Opportunity Employer
SYSTEMS
SOFTWARE
SPECIALISTS
MAKE THE INTELLIGENT
CHOICE
MDS is the leading independent supplier of data entry and
communications systems in the industry. Due to the expan¬
sion of our new-product software development lab, we have
immediate, challenging positions for individuals with experi¬
ence in developing software for Operating Systems, Data Base
Management Systems, Language Processors and a variety of
Application Packages.
The successful candidates will join our advanced systems
software lab in suburban-northern New Jersey and contribute
to the development of a series of new microprocessor based
intelligent terminals and distributed processing systems.
For immediate, confidential consideration, please CALL
COLLECT or forward resume including present salary to:
MR. DANIEL McCONNELL
Director of Corporate Personnel
Mohawk Data Sciences
1599 Littleton Road
Parsippany, New Jersey 07054
(201) 540-9080
An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F
Page 66
fflCOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
position announcements
position announcements
I
position announcements
position announcements
position announcements
DALLAS
Improve your future when you join E-Systems. E-Systems is a leader in
reconnaissance and intelligence gathering systems, electronics surveillance and
other defense programs of a passive nature. We’re a high technology systems
company with annual sales of over $250 million. We market products and services in
more than 40 different countries. Our stock is listed on the New York Stock
Exchange. You’ll own some of that stock if you come with the E:Team.
Make a good living where the living is good. There’s no question — living is good in
the Dallas area. Our public school systems have earned national recognition for
excellence. We're one of the fastest growing areas in the nation, yet our housing
dollar still buys considerably more home in Dallas than it would in most other
metropolitan areas. We’re surrounded by lakes, and blessed by beautiful weather
year ’round. We back professional, university, and high school athletic teams, and we
support our symphony, theaters, the civic opera and several museums. But, best of
all, most of us are down home friendly people.
Product Software
Programmers
Computer science professional with
three or more years of real time
programming experience using ALC on
large scale and 16-bit mini-computers.
You will be involved in program
development, design, and analysis for
large scale multi-tasking systems in
advanced technology electronics. If you
have had actual experience in product
software programming, have a stable
employment history, and a record of
professional achievement, mail your
resume today.
E-SYSTEMS
Garland Division
An equal opportunity M/F employer
US Citizenship Required
If you qualify, send your resume with
salary history to:
Computer Science Manager
E-Systems, Inc.
P.O. Box 6118/Dallas, Texas 75222
DATA BASE SYSTEMS ANALYST
Burlington County College, a comprehensive two-year community
college, anticipates 4 positions for systems analysts for its Federally
Funded Advanced Institutional Development Program for DBMS
applications for a college-wide data base system covering registra¬
tion, accounting, personnel, and a master scheduling.
General qualifications for all positions:
Degree indicated in specific qualifications below or equivalent
experience in business, accounting operations research, educational
administration or related fields is required. Technical writing ability
and management presentation ability also required. Programming
experience in COBOL, FORTRAN, or other language desirable.
Qualifications for specific positions:
1 Position - Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) with a minimum
of 4 years experience as a systems analyst including one
year as a senior analyst In Operations Research in such
areas as classroom scheduling, financial modeling, regis¬
tration and planning.
2 Positions - Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 3 years experince
as a systems analyst.
1 Position - Associate's degree with a minimum of 3 years experi¬
ence as a programmer/analyst or-systems analyst.
Please send a postcard (postmarked no later than 3/28/77) specify¬
ing the title of the position for which you are applying and
requesting an application form and job description to:
Search Committee
c/o Personnel Department
Burlington County College
Pemberton, N.J. 08068
An Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer (M/ui)
Computer
OVERSEAS ASSIGNMENTS IRAN
SYSTEMS PROGRAMMERS
& ANALYST
HIS6000 & GCOS exp.
Salary range: $20,000-$30,000 base
and benefits available.
For detailed information
please call COLLECT
(703) 528-1282 or
(703) 528-5240
Sunday through Friday, 9:00 am
to 8:00 pm or send your resume
including salary history and fam¬
ily status to:
CYBERMETRICS CORP.
6825 Redmond Dr.-Suite 1
McLean, Virginia 22101
Equal Opportunity Employer M/F
SR SALES ENGINEER
FEE PAID
Mini computer sales engineer with
3 - 5 years sales experience in the
data communications engineering
and commercial market place.
30% travel, Dallas based opera¬
tion, with company car, liberal
.incentive plan, bonus for new ac¬
counts, insurance, retirement and
stock purchase plans. Call and/or
send resume tpday.
D.P. People, Inc. (214) 231-1984
Professional Personnel Agency
100 N. Central Expressway
Richardson, Texas 75080
H>V
fct° Software
Technical Writer.
R51-008
Software documentation experience, preferably in a commer¬
cial environment. Some experience in preparation of technical
user manuals on mini-computers desired.
Senior Diagnostic
Programmer
R52-017
Responsibilities will include interfacing with R & D and
manufacturing to develop diagnostic routines for micro¬
processor and I/O peripherals including CRT terminals,
printers, plotters and disk drives. Candidate should have
2 or more years related experience. Computer Science or
EE degree desired.
Quality Control
Programmer
R52-022
Minimum 2 years programming experience, preferably CRT
based mini-computers with BASIC language support.
Bachelor’s degree required.
When you apply for any of the above openings, please
specify position number. We offer attractive starting salaries
and excellent fringe benefits. We are an affirmative action/
equal opportunity employer. Please send your resume includ¬
ing academic background and salary history and requirements
in confidence to:
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT
(617) 851-4111
*4 c'''
SYSTEMS PROGRAMMER
Pittsburgh National Bank requires
an experienced Systems Program¬
mer to participate in the installa¬
tion /maintenance of IBM
370/158 MP Operating Systems
Software.
Related responsibilities will in¬
clude system generation planning
and execution, system perform¬
ance measurement and tuning, *
system modification, and installa¬
tion of software packages.
Experience with MVS or VS2 and
BAL required. If you have a back¬
ground in Software for Technical
Support, Please submit a resume
including salary history to:
Sharon W. Council, Personnel Di¬
vision.
PITTSBURGH
NATIONAL BANK
5th & Wood Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
All replies will be kept confidential
An Equal Opportunity Employer
M/F
ASSISTANT MANAGER¬
PROGRAMMING
New York based International Telecommunications Company
requires an Assistant Manager in Programming, experienced on
PDP-11 using DOS and MACRO ASSEMBLER languages. Knowl¬
edge of teleprocessing and financial applications desirable.
Please forward resume and salary requirements to
CW Box 4930
797 Washington St.
Newton, Mass. 02160
An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F
/■CSO
SR. PROGRAMMER/ANALYST
(Systems Analyst)
As a senior team member you will
be responsible for development,
maintenance and execution of fi¬
nancial systems. Also advise and
consult the use of computing fa¬
cilities and assist in Compuer
Services as required. Qualifica¬
tions required: Bachelor’s degree
plus three to five years of working
experience or equivalent combina¬
tion of Education and experience,
in COBOL, financial systems and
knowledge of a machine language.
DEC System-10, PDP-11, and
Data Base experience preferred.
Forward resume to William Con¬
roy, Computer Services, Richards
House, University of New Hamp¬
shire, Durham, N.H. 03824, no
later than March 11, 1977. The
University is an Affirmative Ac¬
tion/Equal Opportunity Em¬
ployer.
BANK
PROGRAMMER/
ANALYST
New B-2700 installation in Okla.
City is currently seeking an indi¬
vidual to start up center. Qualifi¬
cations should include 15 hrs
acct., 2 - 3 yrs Systems & Cobol,
& Bank Item Processing experi¬
ence. Please send resume with sal¬
ary history and requirements in
strict confidence to:
CW Box 4927
797 Washington St.
Newton, Mass. 02160
Equal Opportunity Employer
IMS SYSTEMS
PROGRAMMER/
ANALYSTS
The Commercial Division of Computer Sciences Corpora¬
tion is a leader in the field of software sciences and industrial
applications.
To keep pace with our continuous growth, we are seeking
individuals to be responsible fbr the design, analysis, and
programming of large scale inventory control applications
utilizing IMS DB/DC and BAL/ALC programming languages.
Background must include a minimum of 2-3 years experi¬
ence in IMS DB/DC and proficiency in IBM Assembly
language (BAL, ALC). Prefer candidates with degree in Math
or Computer Sciences (or equivalent in experience) and
experience with IBM 370 OS/VS. The particular application
that you have experience in is not a prime consideration.
We offer an excellent salary and benefits package, outstand¬
ing opportunities for career growth, and a desirable location
in central New Jersey. Please send resume in confidence to:
Ed Free
Commercial Division
COMPUTER SCIENCES
CORPORATION
25 Commerce Drive, Canford, N.J. 07016
I .
Major Offices And Facilities Throughout The World
An equal opportunity employer
February 28, 1977
nCOMPUTERWORLD
Page 67
position announcements
position announcements
I
position announcements
buy sell swap
buy sell swap
SOFTWARE
AGENTS
BMS Computer is looking for in¬
dependent software agents to rep¬
resent the CIMS job accounting &
system performance reporting
product. The CIMS product re¬
ceived an award of merit from
Datapro. Openings available In
most U.S. cities & Europe. For
further information, please con¬
tact:
Larry A. Lynch
BMS COMPUTER INC.
P.O. Box 3086
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
(415) 938-2620
ANALYST/
PROGRAMMER
; Rapidly growing Florida Corpora¬
tion seeking experienced Analyst/
Programmers (2) for IBM
370/145 DOS/VS CICS environ-
; ment. ALC, CICS definitely a
plus. Previous experience with
Personal Trust Application also a
plus. Salary commensurate with
experience and good fringe bene¬
fits package is provided. Contact:
Kermit McKinney
Data Processing
Lawyers' Title Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 3588
Orlanda, Florida 32802
I (305) 843-1205
DATA PROCESSING
DIRECTOR
Opportunity for aggressive indi¬
vidual with successful background
and experience supervising all
phases of data processing. Must
have thorough knowledge of pro¬
gramming and systems, and abil¬
ity to organize, direct and impl-
ment a project from start to fin¬
ish. Salary range mid $20s. An
Equal Opportunity Employer.
Send resume to:
City of Jackson, Michigan
Personnel & Labor Relations Dept.
161 W. Michigan Avenue
Jackson, Michigan 49201
PROGRAMMER/ANALYST
NCR CENTURY ON-LINE
Our financial organization located
in the Mid-Atlantic area is looking
for an individual with a minimum
of two years experience on NCR
1 Century Neat 3/Level 2 with on¬
line, teleprocessing and financial
application experience a plus.
This individual will be responsible
for existing systems, design and
development of new applications.
We offer excellent career oppor¬
tunities along with full company
benefits. Salary is commensurate
with experience. Forward your
resume along with salary history
to:
CW Box 4929
797 Washington St.
Newton, Mass. 02160
1
OVERSEAS
MVS INTERNALS
Confidential Houston interview
March 6-11. Work on MVS 3.7
JES 2 TSO TCAM VT AM NCP.
Earn 40% salary increase with Tax
break & overseas benefits. Six
weeks paid vacation each year.
State-based salary above $20K.
Call Collect:
SYLVIA B. LONG
(213) 378-1831
or (213) 990-1875
LONG MANAGEMENT
CONSULTANTS
15910 Ventura Blvd. Suite 800
Encino, California 91436
|
|
Sales Representatives
All Positions Fee Pai d
By Client Companies
Tired of the Cold Weather?
Come to the Sunny South!
We have fnany excellent oppor¬
tunities for representatives with
3-5 years experience in Mini-Main
Frame. or Terminals calling on
industrial, O.t.ivi. or bcientitic
Area. Technical Degreed. Send re¬
sume in strict confidence to:
Dunhill of Greater Miami, Inc.
Suite 51 5
Washington Federal Bldg.
633 N.E. 167th St.
N. Miami Beach. FL 33162
(305) 653-2535, Mr. Al Snyder
ELECTRONIC
DATA PROCESSING
Full-time teaching position avail¬
able Fall 1977. Candidates must
have commercial programming ex¬
perience, multi-language capabil¬
ity, minimum of bachelor's de-
firee, and desire to strive for excel-
ence in education. Rank and sal¬
ary commensurate with qualifica¬
tions. Deadline for receipt of ap¬
plications is May 15, 1977. Send
resume to Associate Dean Eleanor
J. Bushee, School of Technical
Careers, Southern Illinois Univer¬
sity, Carbondale, III. 62901.
SIU-C it an equal opportunity /af¬
firmative action employer.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Departmental expansion has created several challenging op¬
portunities in the C/I-MEC Applied Software Department of
International Marketing Services.
SYSTEMS ANALYSTS
As a Systems Analyst you would provide support to our
international operations on the released medical, education
and government or manufacturing applied software products.
This position involves working with the entire NCR EDP
product line.
PROGRAMMER/ANALYST
As a Programmer/Analyst you would participate in the design
and development of state-of-the-art applied software systems
for use with NCR’s complete range of computer products.
Openings exist in the manufacturing, wholesale and medical
vocations.
To investigate these opportunities, send your resume to:
NCR
Mr. Vernon L. Mirre
Corporate Executive &
Professional Recruitment
NCR Corporation
Dayton, Ohio 45479
An Equal Opportunity Employer
There^ Still Room
on the Ground Floor at Amdahl
QA ENGINEER
You will participate in engineering software qual¬
ity assurance of hardware diagnostics and control
system programs for Amdahl’s 470V/6 computer sys¬
tem and new products. You should have knowledge
and experience with most of the following: computer
organization, logic design, minicomputer operat¬
ing systems, software QA, higher level and assembly
languages (PL/1, 370 Assembler, NOVA Assembler
preferred). Your ability to work with large scale com¬
puter systems is essential. You must have an MSEE
or computer science degree and a minimum of 3-5
years’ experience or equivalent. Please indicate
425-E on your response.
We’re looking for above-average talent. You
can expect an above-average compensation and
benefits package. Please direct your response
to Manager, Professional Employment,
Amdahl Corporation, 1250 East Arques Ave¬
nue, Sunnyvale, California 94086. To expedite
your application, please indicate on your re¬
sume or letter the response number contained
in the text of the position offering. We are, of
course, an equal opportunity employer.
amdahl
BUY Sen SW4P
dearborn
dearborn giveth NOW 20501 (3 chan.); 2040G (2
chan.); 2314/2844 disk; 1051-2, 1052-2, 1056-1.
dearborn giveth SOON 2065IH (3 chan.) all IBM
(avail. 4/1/77).
dearborn taketh away your 3420's and 3803's, all
models; 1442 N1/N2; 3540-B1 diskette reader;
2520 B1, B2 or B3. Contact Tom Millunchick
(312) 671-4410
dc
dearborn computer
leasing company
hardware 360s/370s
systems software
brokerage
4849 n. scott st., schiller park, IL.60176 Chicago (31 2) 671 -4410
toronto (416) 621-7060 • st. louis • houston • detroit •losangeles
ENTREPRENEURS
COMPUTER SHACK™
Personal computers are the world’s newest, most exciting and the
fastest-growing business. Computer Shack, our turn-key computer
franchise network, lets you get in at the ground floor. Unlimited
potential. Complete training program.
Enter COMPUTERLAND/™
Personal microcomputers are sold to business, science, education,
the professions, as well as the explosively growing hobbyist mar¬
ket. Computer Shacks offer microcomputers, modules, tools, books,
accessories; provide equipment assembly and testing. Each store
has a traffic-building COMPUTERLAND™ game room. Choice loca¬
tions available.
Call or write:
Ed Faber, President
Computer Shack, Inc.
1922 Republic Ave.
San Leandro, CA. 94577
(415) 895-9363
DELIVERY
POSITIONS
AVAILABLE
370/138 and 148
Call Jim Williams
Capital Marketing
(415) 798-2000
HONEYWELL 635
COMPLETE OR
PARTIAL SYSTEM
FOR SALE
SYSTEM UNDER
MAINTENANCE
FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Director, Computer Services
CW Box 4914
797 Washington St.
Newton, Mass. 02160
DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED
BUY-SELL
TRADE
For Computer
Call Action Write
ICACl
404/458-4425
P.O. Box 80572
Atlanta, Ga. 30366
(1x8) 3420-6
TAPE SYSTEM
FOR SALE
Call Ed Joseph
EH
IPS Computer
Marketing Corp.
467 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs.
N.J. 07632
(201) 871-4200
AMERICAN USED COMPUTER
CORPORATION
NEW LOW PRICES//
^PDP8
181 . 8K SPECIAL. .$2950.. $1995
I8L. . ...4K CPU . 1950 . 995
DF32/DS32 64K word ...^50....1450|
MM8E . 4K MEMORY.. 1200 . 750J
THOUSANDS
OF DEC UNITS
IN STOCK
IN STOCK NOW
MORE
MINIS/
DEC 8,9,10,11,12,15
DATA
GENERAL
800/820
NOVA 2/10, 1200
GAI SP 16/40
LOCKHEED MAC 16; RAYTHEON 704
GRI 909; SEL 810, 840
VARIAN 5201 6201; GTE TEMPO 1
617-2 61 -1100
PO Box 68, Kenmore Station, Boston, MA 02215
Page 68
H33 COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
I
buy sell swap
buy sell swap
I
buy sell swap
buy sell swap
I
buy sell swap
FOR SALE
5415-B19 96K
SIM 40220
Immediate Delivery
Contact: Bill McGhie
Computer
Brokers, Inc.
3606 Austin Peay Highway
Memphis, TN 38128
901-372-2622
SYSTEM/3
1130 360/20
BUY • SELL • LEASE
For a prompt, competitive quota¬
tion on your IBM needs, call or
write today. "The Small
Systems Specialists "
ECONOCOM
ECONOMIC COMPUTER SALES. INC
1255 Lynnfield Road pO Box 17825
Memphis. Tenn 38117 (901 ) 767-9130
TWX 810-591-1205
Member Computer Dealers Association
AMDAHL-470/V6
370/168 370/158
FINANCIAL LEASES
24 to 48 month "walkaway" leases
on IBM 370/138 and 370/148 systems.
National Computer Rental ,Ltd
415 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Tel. No. (212)532-1500
Member of Tiger Leasing Grouo
Member Computer Lessors Assoc.
■iiiiiiiimiimB
FOR SALE
OR LEASE
360/40 H
360/50 H
jIS
Corporate
Computers, Inc
115 Mason Street
Greenwich, Conn 06830
(203) 661 1500
FOR SALE
BURROUGHS B3500
120 KB Core Memory
800 Ipm Line Printer
(2) 800 BPI-9-Tr Tapes
800 CPM Card Reader
20M Bytes Disk (20 ms)
Ernie Lucken
Diversified Computer
Applications
2525 E. Bayshore Road
Palo Alto, Calif. 94303
(415) 324 2523
WANTED
3420’s 3803’s
3333’s 3830’s
3330’s
PCM will purchase
your installed
disk’s or tapes that
have maximum
rental credits
214/630-6700
AAM
Pioneer Computer Marketing
1165 Empire Central Place
Dallas, Texas 75247
DEC
OEM's & End Users
C.D. SMITH
Broker in Used
DEC Data Systems
310 & 350 Series
Available
730 N. Post Oak Lane
Houston, TX 77024
(713) 965-0874
145-12
S/N 11400
Sale or Lease
Immediate Delivery
With ISC
Call Rick Thiele
L3000, L5000, L8000
TC700, TC 3500
31-32 41-42-43-152
360, 370 System 3 & 32
pga
W11^ PDP
8's and 11 CPU's
HU
IPS Computer
Marketing Corp.
467 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs,
N.J. 07632
(201) 871-4200
I.O. A. Data Corp.
383 Lafayette St., N.Y. 10003
(212) 673-9300
Mamber Computer Dealers Assoc.
WAm
7k
ALL 360 AND 370 SYSTEMS
AND PERIPHERALS
WE BUY • SELL • LEASE • TRADE
ransdoto
Member
Computet Deotefs
Association
/Q-c P.O.Box 47762 Dallas, Texas 75247 PHONE (214) 631-5647 Ql
■ — — ■* I
SALE NO. 77.06S Corpus Christi
Junior College District will receive
sealed proposals addressed to C.B.
Alexander, Purchasing Agent, Del
Mar College, 2521 Naples, Corpus
Christi, Texas 78404, until 4 pm
April 4, 1977, at which time bids
will be opened for sale and re¬
moval of IBM Type 2314 Model 1
Direct Access Storage Facility, SN
11727. The ninth drive included.
Eligible for IBM Maintenance
Agreement. For additional tech¬
nical information contact Mr. Jess
Hopper, (512) 882-6231 Ext. 259
or 282. Bid forms are available at
the Purchasing Office.
WANTED
NCR CENTURY 200
201, 250 or 300
With NCR peripheral equip¬
ment. Send specs on items
available. We are a private
company seeking to replace in-
house (rental) Century Sys¬
tem. We will pay cash. Please
indicate age and condition of
all units.
Financial Collection Agencies
P.O. Box 408
Chazy, N.Y. 12921.
Att: Mark Lubotta
(514).931-6411
1
SELL* BUY
TELETYPE
Models 32-33 New, Used|
Telex • TWX/DDD
BRPE'S
NATIONAL
TELETYPEWRITER CORPj
207 Newtown Rd.
Plainview, N.Y. 11803
(516) 293-0444
SELECT USED EQUIPMENT
FRIDEN • I.B.M. • LITTON • PHILIPS • OLIVETTI
N.C.R. 31, 32. & 41. 42, 43. 450 s & 480 s Bank Equip.
735/736 MAGNETIC TAPE ENCODERS & LINE PRINTERS
299 and 399 Minicomputers and Centurys
'BURROUGHS F-5000/6000/9000 SERIES & “L"2000 THRU 8000 SERIES 8 TC’S
(W/W0 PERIPHERALS) also 0-700 SYSTEMS THRU 0-4700
N.C.R. Authorized Dealer of
210 Electronic Cash Register, Adding Machines, Calculators
BUYING OR SELLING — CALL US FIRST!
KEY-EXIMPORT C0RR
WANTED
TO BUY
FOR SALE
OR LEASE
3158
WITH AMS
or IBM MEMORY
JULY
AVAILABILITY
1HCMAS NATIONWIDE COMPUTER CORFORAJION
Brian M. Battle - (312) 944-1401
600 North McClurg Court - Suite 4202A
Chicago. Illinois 60611
Paul Nortman - (516) 752-1000
1 Hunfington Quadrangle - Suite 4S13
Huntington Station, New York 11746
2S6 LIVINGSTON ST. (P.O. BOX 129) NORTHVALE, N.J. 07647
TELE. N.J. (201) 767-3444 N.Y.C. (212) 736-7736
TBJX 135149 CABLE: KEYEXIMP-NORTHVALE HI
CONTACT CSI
BUY
SELL
LEASE
TRADE
Computer Equipment
Al Smith
6111 1960 West, Suite 202
Houston, Texas 77069
713-444-0246
Ken Steinback
11 S. Meramec, Suite 1304
Clayton, Mo. 63105
314-727-7010
Bryan G. Graham
8116 Cherington Drive
Indianapolis. Ind 46227
317-881-6766
Mike Jetland
23 Altarinda Drive. Suite B
Orinda. California 94563
415-254-3515
Bill Roselius
901 Office Park Plaza
Oklahoma City, Okla. 73105
405-840-1911
COMPUTER SALES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Member: Computer Dealers Association
February 28, 1977
WM
COMPUTERWORLD
Page 69
370/168-L
AVAILABLE FOR SHORTTERM LEASE
CONTACT DAVE WYGODA
O.P.M. LEASING SERVICES, INC.
99 Wall St.
(212) 747-0672
U JAMES
COMPUTER CC
024
026
029
046
047
056
BUY/SELL/LEASE/TRADE
059
077
082
083
084
085
088
129
402
403
407
514
1401 ’• • 1130's • 360’s
Your source for guaranteed equipment
- James Computer Co.
970 Marine Drive / Chicago , Illinois 60640 1
Natalie Reyes jgi2| 271-3311
New York, NY 10005
(800) 221-2674
FOR SALE
IBM SYTEM/3
MODEL 10
5410 16k CPU
5444 7.4M Disk
5424 MFCU 500/250
5203 200 LBM Printer
(3) 5496 Data Recorders
Contact: A. Shafran
Bell Industries
1880 Century Park East
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(213) 879-1851
A New Service For The Used Computer Marketplace
COMPUTER EQUIPMENT INFORMATION BUREAU
FOR BUYERS: CEIB is a free, up-to-date source on current used
equipment offerings that's as close as your telephone. Our equipment file
includes over 6080 current listings from numerous brokers, dealers, and
private sellers. Just call (617) 247-2290 to obtain immediate informa¬
tion on any specific systems or items you're interested in — including
seller's names, asking prices, and availability dates.
FOR SELLERS: CEIB is an inexpensive, convenient approach to
reaching potential buyers. If you haven't already received our brochure
and listing forms, please write or call —
CEIB - P.O. Box 163; Boston, MA 02117 - (617) 247-2290
R. Ferrara, President
FOR LEASE
IBM 3330's - 8 Spindles - Mod¬
el 1
3333 (#40668) 8. (3) 3330’s -
#24234, #24347, and #24377
$3,781 /Mo for 36 months (in¬
cludes MMMC)
$5,194 = IBM’s 2 Year Rental
Available Today
CALL OR WRITE
FORSY1HE
/Mc/IRIHUR
919 N. Michigan Ave. /fjh
Chicago, IL 60611
(312)943-3770 Telex : 25-5 1 6 1
WE WANT TO BUY
3830-2
3803-1
3420’s
Call Ed Joseph
IPS Computer
Marketing Corp.
467 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs,
N.J. 07632
(201) 871-4200
370/125’s
For Sale* Lease* Purchase
* Purchase Leaseback
Specialists in 125 Systems
rprn CORPORATE
Lr^iJ COMPUTERS, INC.
(203) 661-1500
115 Mason St., Greenwich, CT 06830
Member
CDA
n
EOT®
370
115-125-135
Buy-Seli-
Lease-T rade
Call Mike Vargo
(313) 774-9500
Systems
Components
Features
360/20
Call Bob Southwell
(313) 774-9500
S/3
Components &
Systems
Call Jerry Roberts
(313) 774-9500
* 1130
Call Jim Carleton
(313) 774-9500
370/138-148-158
Delivery Position
Information
Call Bill Graham
(313) 774-9500
360/65 360/50
360/40 360/30
We Buy and Sell Any 360 System
or Peripherals. Before you buy or
sell, get your most competitive
offer from CMI.
Call Boh Van Hellemont
(313) 774-9500
3420 s 3803 s
3333 s 3830’s
3330’s 3340’s
SALE OR LEASE
ALL MODELS
Call Darryl Hastings
(313) 774-9500
370/145-155-158
BUY-SELL-LEASE
Call Ron Baker
(313) 774 9500
IBM 129 Users
We Want to Buy Rental
Credit Machines
Lease Back
Plans Available
BUY-SELL-LEASE
129 029 059 026
IBM Manufactured
082 083 514
Call Jim Carleton
(313) 774-9500
IN CANADA
IBM 360 370
System/ 3
Buy-Sell-Lease
Call Don DuPuis
CMI Company
P.O. Box 893
Windsor, Ont. n9A6P2
(519) 258 8910
CMI
Computer Marketers International
23000 Mack Ave., St. Clair Shores, Mi. 48080
313/774-9500
THE IBM DEALER
Member
Computer Dealers’
Association
MINICOMPUTERS
Don’t waste company money.
Check with us before you buy or
sell.
DEC, DGC, Most Others' systems
and peripherals.
DEC — COS 340/save 25%. PDP
11/10 with floppy discs/save 25%.
PDP 11, PDP 8, DEC peripherals.
DGC — NOVA 800 'Timeshare
System/save 50%. Tape systems/
from $3900. RJE Terminals.
Nova 2, Nova 3, Eclipse.
WANTED
Minicomputer systems and pe¬
ripherals Buyers waiting for
many items:
DEC RK OS
PDP 8E, 11/05
MINICOMPUTER
EXCHANGE
(408) 733-4400
TWX 910 339 9272
DEC PDP-11/70 SYSTEM
WITH RSTS/E APPLICATION PACKAGES
Available for March Delivery at December Prices
(5V4% of a DEC PDP-11/70 System buys you a lot of our software)
• General Accounting Application Package
• Materials Management System
i
Call Peter Melvin at (617) 890-9393
INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS
460 Totten Pond Road,
Waltham. MA 02154
(617) 890-9393
TERMINALS
Call 800-645-8016
for MTI's Quick Reaction Capability
to all your Terminal needs!
w
M
Digital LA3£
LEASE • RENT • PURCHASE
Lear Siegler ADM1
'*£ii
Lear Siegler ADM2
7B
MTI's got them all . . .
including a complete line of accessories . . .
all at the lowest prices and with quick delivery!
Mix 'n Match to suit yourself:
|L
<§>
DECwriters —
LA36 Printer Terminal
10 15 30 Char, 132
Print Positions
DECprinters —
LAI 80
180 Char/sec, 132 Print
Positions
DECscopes —
VT50, 12 lines. 80
Characters
VT52. 24 lines, 80
Characters
DIABLO
Hyterm
. . . and OMNITECH Modems, TECHTRAN and MFE Cassettes, and
everything else you need for your Communications Network.
In New York Call
516-482-3500 or 212-895-7177
For a Quick Response —
Call TOLL FREE
800-645-8016 NOW!
Ask for Bert or Lenny
When you buy from MTI you get a price advantage
and a lifetime friend you can count on!
1 59 Northern Boulevard , Great Neck, New York 11021
Page 70
11S1 COMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
buy sell swap
buy sell swap
buy sell swap
buy sell swap
buy sell swap
Before you bay or lease . . . take a second look
4
BUY-SELL-LEASE
360/30 — 360/40 — 360/50 — 360/65
IBM PERIPHERALS
370/135
370/138
370/145
370/148
370/155
370/158
370/165
370/168
ANY CONFIGURATION
3570 American Drive • Atlanta, Georgia 30366
404/451-1895 • TWX 810/757-3654
CHICAGO — 312/295-2030
WASHINGTON — 202/466-2470
LOS ANGELES — 213/370-4844
BUY
SELL
LEASE
Peripherals & I/O
3330's 34 1 0's 321 1's
3340's 3420's 3505’s
3350's 2401 's 1403's
23 1 4's 2501 's
Gene Chappell
CIS Corp.
600 Mony Plaza
Syracuse l\IY 13202
(315) 425-1900
Telex: 93-7435
FORSYTHE
McARHM /ASSOCIATES, INC
919 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago. Illinois 60611
312-943-3770 Telex 255161
Member, Computer Dealers Association
3277’s
LEASEBACKS
AT
SUBSTANTIAL
SAVINGS
Call Bruce Zuckerman
EH
IPS Computer
Marketing Corp.
467 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs,’
N.J. 07632
(201) 871-4200
Limited Offer!
New 300 LMP
Data Products 2230
Line Printers
Immediate Delivery
$6,845.00
with or without
interfaces
Call F.C. Crowley
(203) 327-9210
FOR LEASE
FAVORABLE TERMS
262K UNIVAC
7005 Memory
4 - 64K Units
Late Serial Number
Available 1st Qtr. 1977
(Can be inspected
in Dallas, Texas)
Contact: J.L. Baldwin
(314) 247-5964
GO GREYHOUND
PERSONAL
MINICOMPUTER SYSTEMS
32K
CPU
2-CRT
TERMINALS
2-DISKS
(FLOPPY)
ABBOTT COMPUTER COMPANY
57 Gregory St.
Marblehead, MA 01945
(617) 631 8903
WHEN
BUYING OR SELLING
COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
FOR SALE
Available Now
2-3330-1’s
2803-2 & 2420-7 ’s
Also Available
370/155J With
AMS Memory & PSU
International
Home Office
New York
Chicago
□alias
San Francisco
Canada
U.K,
Europe
Mexico
Austro-Asia
T.A. Takash
Dick Ventola
Pete Ahern
M.W. “Bill” Tucker
Henry Paulson
Don Maunder (Toronto)
Bruce Pearson (London)
Joe Gold (Geneva)
Andres Contreras
Don Haworth
(602) 248-6037
(914) 949-1515
(312) 298-3910
(214) 233-1818
(415) 283-8980
(416) 366-1513
(01) 759-9191
(022) 61-27-54
(905) 543-6850
(214) 233-1818
Non-IBM Dallas John Hallmark (214)233-1818
Greyhound Computer Corporation Greyhound Tower Phoenix, Arizona 85077
WANTED
BURROUGHS 'L' Series
DEC & DATA GENERAL
Minis & Peripherals
NCR: 399 & 299
Boynton Business Systems
87 Route 208
Wallkill, N.Y. 12584
914-895-2007
BUY
SELL
370/135’S
Available March/April
for
2 Year or Longer Leases
CIG MARKETING CORP.
EAST: (203) 359 2100
Pat Romeo
MIDWEST: (312) 541-4000
George Fink
MINICOMPUTER SYSTEMS
WANTED TO BUY
DATALEASE will purchase most
mini computer systems for cash
to fill current customer require¬
ments.
NEEDED NOW
D.E.C. PDP-8's & P DP-1 1's All
D.E.C. Peripherals D.E.C. Disks
Data General Nova's and periph¬
erals
Core Stacks
Interface Boards
CRT's
Teletypes
If you are upgrading or disposing
of your system or components in
the next six months, CALL FOR
QUOTATION NOW.
(714) 533 3920
700 No. Valley
St.. A
DATALEASE Anaheim, CA
92801
Tlx. 692439
DATALEASE
ANH
FOR SALE
(20) 3336 Ml
equivalent disk packs
in good condition
Marine Corps
Exchange Service
P.O. Box 1834
Quantico, VA 22134
(703) 640-6156 ext. 32
FOR SALE
IBM 1403-2
IBM 5421-1
IBM 4140
Available 3/1/77 on
IBM MMMC
Call (312) 235-4566
AUTO CLUTCH 8t PARTS
ask for Frank R. Raidl
125 H2
Complete System
For Sale or Lease
1403-N1 3410/11
3340's 2501
Configured to your Spec.
Call Jeff Klein
IBM UNIT RECORD EQUIPMENT
MACH. SALE LEASE MACH. SALE LEASE MACH. SALE LEASE
024
026
029
046
047
056
059
063
077
$250 $17/Mo. 082 $850 $35/Mo.
$800 $30/Mo. 083 $1850 $60/Mo.
$1900 $50/Mo. 084 $2300$100/Mo.
$1200 $50/Mo. 085 $1100 $60/Mo.
$1500 $60/Mo. 088 $2500$175/M0.
$175 $1 5/Mo. 089 $1300 $50/Mo.
$1800 $50/Mo. 402 $800 $60/Mo.
$750 $30/Mo. 403 $900 $70/Mo.
$350 $25/Mo. 407 $1200 $80/Mo.
f!H
IPS Computer
Marketing Corp.
467 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs.
N.J. 07632
(201) 871-4200
THOMAS COMPUTER CORPORATION
600 N. McClurg Court - Suite 4202
Chicago, Illinois 6061 1
(312) 944-1401
514 $600 $45/Mo.
519 $900 $55/Mo.
526 $1400 $70/Mo.
548 $1600 $70/Mo.
552 $1000 $40/Mo.
557$3000 $ 100/Mo.
602 $300 $20/MO.
2311 $450 $30/Mo.
1401 $10500 $400/Mo.
System
800-243-5301
Bo0i24K5308
*■4.
■ .
,
‘ -,*•> . - ' r .
_
WE WANT TO BUY
□ 138/148 on-order positions
□ 135/145 subleases
_
RANDOLPH COMPUTER COMPANY
:
WE WANT TO BUY
3420-3’s
- - -20-5’s
S37 Steamboat Read Greenwich, Connecticut 86830 .
&
February 28, 1977
US COMPUTERWOfiLD
Page 71
buy sell swap
I
buy sell swap
buy sell swap
buy sell swap
buy sell swap
! BUY/SELL/LEASE/TRADE )
IBM 360s, 370s, System 3s, all Peripherals
3830s, 3333s, 3330s, 3420s, 3803s
Purchase/Leaseback Machines Wanted
All types 1400 Series; 1130s, 1620s
Unit Record Equipment Refurbished — All Models
Disk Packs — recertified, initialized
Call collect today (214) 634*2750
METROPLEX COMPUTER COMPANY, INC.
Suite 1 208 Honeywell Bldg. 1 1 1 1 W. Mockingbird Lane
Dallas, Texas 75247 TWX 91 0-861 -41 71 j
DECWRITER II
$1,450.
ASR 33 Teletype 750.
Interdata minicomputer 600.
DEC PDP8L minicomputer 800.
Pertec IBM 1/2" tape drive 175.
Pertec h/s ppt reader 150.
+5@7A, +28,±12 pwr supply 75.
+5@25A, ±12@2A pwr supply 95.
Sankyo Magnetic Card Rdr. 50.
Klienschmit 80 col printer 400.
SOX, Box 41
Orange Cove, Ca. 93646
(209) 332-2332
IBM UNIT RECORD
EQUIPMENT
024 077 085 402 514 552 026
082 087 403 519 557 029 083
088 407 523 602 056 084 089
408 548 604 029 129
We Buy Sell or Lease
360s 1400s 1440s
IBM COMPUTERS
2040 GF, I/O Set
5 Spindle Calcomp 2314
6 -60KB Tape Orives/Sims
8-1440 Oise Systems at $4,000
16K 1460 Systems with 1403-3
2803-2 and 2401-6
1401 Disc Systems
360/30’s & 40’s
any configuration
1 Big Savings on certain items of
a Equipment
I Call us for all your needs;,we buy
f rent and sell all types of IBM unit
j| record equipment. Over 12 years
1 of serving commercial and govern-
I ment requirements. Contact ACS
I for proposal
7 1 26 Mullins
4 / T Houston TX 77036
/J / \ (71 3) 666-2122
1/1 ) TWX 910-881-1526
NYC (212) 689-4747
EQUIPMENT CORP.
**************
IBM 158 :
* 4
* ATTACHED PROCESSOR *
* Available July, 1977 *
4 Sale or Lease *
j. Contact Jerry Borisy £
JBI Associates, Inc. .
Suite 210 *
* 1 430 Larimer Square *
- Denver, Colorado 80202
* (303) 629-1616 ^
************* *
BUY SELL LEASE
SYSTEM/3
Models 8, 10, 15
1403, 5421,5445
3741,5496,9610
COMPUTER BROKERS, INC.
P.O. BOX 28298
Memphis, Tn. 38128
Phone 901/372-3622
WANTED
360/40
Private party seeks complete
system or CPU & I/O set for
purchase & delivery Spring 77.
Send configuration and price to
PO Box 325, Winchester, MA
01890.
SUBLEASE
370/145 IH2
AVAILABLE: April, 1977
TERM: 36 Months - Consider Other
RATE: Best Offer Over $14,000/Month
FEATURES: 3/4 Meg (IBM), ISC, Plus More
Call Mr. Lunceford (913) 381-7272
L8iA Computer Industries, Inc.
10955 Granada Overland Park, Ks. 66211
IBM 1410
SYSTEM FOR SALE
1402- 2 Reader/Punch
1403- 2 Printer
1411 Processor
80K memory
2 channel
7295 (4) MAI tape drives
Currently in operation, under
IBM maintenance agreement,
available 4-1-77.
Contact Ken McFerren
COMPURiTE Computer Service
P.O. Box 4141
Madison Wl 53711
(608) 238-4442
FOR LEASE OR SALE
• Block MPX Channel for 360/65
• IBM or Compatible 3330's can
be attached
• No Software Changes
• Can Replace 2860
• Available Now
CALL OR WRITE:
FORSYTHE
/VMRRJR 4SOCIATES. INC
/flfL 919 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 6061 1
(31 2)943-3770 Telex : 25-5 1 6 1
BUY LEASE SELL
370/115 - 370/125
ECONOCOM
ECONOMIC COMPUTER SALES, INC.
P.O. Box 1 7825/Memphis, Tennessee 381 1 7
(901 ) 767-91 30
&
BUYorSELL
COMPUTER/COMMUNICATION
EQUIPMENT
NEW IN-HOUSE
“DEAL COMPUTER”
• WE ACCEPT YOUR • WE MATCH BUYER
CONSIGNMENT & SELLER
INVENTORY . yVE HANDLE THE
-OH- TRANSACTION FOR YOU
• WE WILL BUY YOUR -awo-
INVENTORY OUTRIGHT • ALL LISTINGS ARE FREEI
GET COMPLETE DETAILS WITH A DIRECT CALL
800 527-3248 214 258-2414
TWX 9106606781 TELEX 730022
capital
equipment brokers
930 N. BELTUNE • IRVING, TEXAS 75061
A1IAJ
POWER
PROTECTION
CASE HISTORY
"...my real time system was
crashing 5 and 6 times daily.,
it was beginning to affect our
ability to conduct a business.
We're located next to a mill
with large motors., line mon¬
itors quickly pinpointed that
our crashes coincided with
large line voltage drops.
ATLAS shipped us protection
equipment from stock and
our problems were over.. .it
cost a fraction of what I
thought we'd have to spend."
If you suspect poor power qua¬
lity. call ATLAS. 'Your Energy
Warehouse'. We'll supply ad¬
vice. recommend or conduct
tests, and suggest an optimal
protection solution.
▲11AJ
9457 Rush St El Monte. CA 91733
Main Ollice 213-448-0705
IL 312-372-2237 MA 617-492-2525
FOR SALE:
IBM Unit Record Equipment
& 3-M Copier
Sealed offers to purchase will be
received in the office of the City
Clerk, City Hall, 407 Grant
Street, Wausau, Wl 54401 until
11:00 A.M. Tuesday, March 15,
for the following:
IBM 082 Sorter with two (2) 14
section card racks and one (1) 13
section card rack; IBM 026 Print¬
ing Key Punch; IBM 077 Collator
with two (2) panels; IBM 514
Reproducing Punch with seven
(7) panels; twenty-three (23) 402
panels; one (1) stationary 402
tape holder an;one (1) swivel
four-sided 402 tape holder; four
(4) ten-drawer 80 column Tab full
suspension card files without
locks with dollies; and one (1)
209 3M-M automatic copier in
need of repairs.
The City reserves the right to
reject any or all offers.
BUYING
SELLING
LEASING
370/145
370/158
370/168
TAPES /DISKS /CORE
Pioneer Computer Marketing
1165 Empire Central Place
Dallas, Texas 75247
214/630-6700
360/40
360/50
360/65
370/135
370/155
370/165
FOR SALE
IBM 2860 Mod 3
Selector Channel
Daniel Young
Federal Data Corporation
(301)652-5766
TWX 710-824-0558
*************
FOR SALE *
*
Immediate Delivery ^
Available ^
Basic Four »
Model 400 *
32 K, 1 Disk Drive, 2 CRTs, 1 *
Printer. All software-AIR, *
A/P, G/L, Payroll, Inventory *
Control for Garment Mfg. & *
all Businesses. *
(212)564-4159 *
Robert Galpern *
****** *******
FOR SALE/LEASE
DEC
LA 36 DECwriters (New)
VT52 DECscopes (New)
LA180 DECwriters (New)
+ Many DEC type interfaces, con¬
trollers
R K05's, RP02's, RP03's
+ minicomputers. Peripherals,
Systems Memories
WANTED
PDP8E's, PDP 1 1 /05's, PDP 11/35's
Contact: Ted Rays or Frank Zimmer
UNITRONIX CORP.
1801 U.S. Hwy 22
P.O. Box 6515
Bridgewater, N.J. 08807
(201 ) 725-2560
C.D.C.
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
(1) 3228 TAPE CONTROLLER
(1) 604 TAPE DRIVE
(1) 3234 DISK CONTROLLER
(4) 854 DISK DRIVES
(2) 3254 PRINTERS
(1) 3316 MULTIPLEXOR
CONTROLLER
(1) 364-1 MULTIPLEXOR
(3) 361-1 DATA SET ADAPTORS
CONTACT: LEE RICHARD
Memorial Hospital Medical Center
P.O. Box 1428
Long Beach, CA 90801
(213) 595-2416
BUY - SELL - LEASE - BROKERAGE
Let the
"NATIONS LARGEST WHOLESALE DEALER "
Buy, sell, lease, sub lease, or be your agent in placement
of your pre-owned IBM 360/370/System 3, or other units
COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
CWC’s international division —
experts in foreign markets, freight, customs
BEACH COMPUTER CORPORATION, CWC’s Leasing Division
COMPUTER WHOLESALE CORP., (504) 581-7741
SUITE 507/508 FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF COMMERCE BLDG.
-U NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70112
CCA MEMBER OF COMPUTER DEALERS ASSOCIATION
Member: Computer Dealers Association
dataseiv
360
buy • sell
370
• lease • trade
System/3 Peripherals
360/30
370/115
5410
Disks
360/40
370/125
5415
Tapes
360/50
370/135
Sys/32
Printers
360/65
370/145 +
Peripherals
Card I/O
Call our "quotation hot-line'
Toll free 800/328-2406 /
Or write: Dataserv Equipment, Inc., 9901 Wayzata Blvd., P.O. Box 9488, Minneapolis MN 55440
or
612/544-0335
Page 72
nCOMPUTERWORLD
February 28, 1977
buy sell swap
time & services
software for sale
software for sale
software for sale
155 Jll
New DAT-ITC Qualified
S/N 10463
Available For
Immediate Delivery
Wrtith or Without Memory
Call Ted Molinari
ITSB1
IPS Computer
Marketing Corp.
467 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs.
N.J. 07632
(201) 871-4200
SALE
DEC RPO 3 Disk Drives
DEC PDP 8M CPUs
DEC PDP 8E 8K Memory
DEC LA 30 Decwriter
Nova 2/10 32KW System
w 10 megabyte disk 8<
2 CRTs
Vadic 1200 baud modems
Boynton Business Systems
87 Route 208
Wallkill NY 12589
(914) 895 2007
IBM. -360 s
All shifts available on
4 - 360 computers with all
features, 2314's, 2311’s,
2402 '$ - 800 BPI 9 TRK,
2402' S - 7 TRK,
2401’S - 1600 BPI 9 TRK,
1403’s - Nl, 2540’s, 2703
with ASYN & BISYNC
Port.
Prices start at $35.00 per
hour. We also offer com¬
plete Batch and Tele-proc¬
essing services. Configura¬
tion can be modified to
accomodate any 360 com¬
puter user. We have on site
CE’s.
UCS Computer Centers
Richard Mine Road
Wharton, N.J. 07885
Contact Bill Kersey at
(201) 361-4007
or
Joe Kelly at
(201) 361-4008
CO
>
— I
O
X
TIM€ & Sm\C<5
COMPUTER SERVICES
AVAILABLE
System/3
Mod. 15B
Disk/Tape/
High Speed Printer/BSCA
Systems Design and Consulting
Computer Rental
Disk-to-Tape Backup
Discounts Available on Block Rentals.
For Further Information Call:
(617) 723 7300
(Ask for Computer Rental)
H.C. Wainwright 8r Co.
One Boston Place
Boston, Ma. 02108
STANDALONE
5 COMPUTER
TIME
FULLY CONFIGURED
370/158 & 15511
360/30
• COM OMR FACILITIES
• EXCELLENT RATES
• CONVENIENT CENTRAL
JERSEY LOCATION
Call Collect
Larry Muth 201-524-2083
ICOTECH
P.O. Box 67
Route 202
Raritan, N.J. 08869
Datacenter
370/158
3 meg VS2
Specializing in
Remote Job Entry
and Batch
Excellent Technical Support
Very A ttractive Rates
Contact: Stu Kerievsky
(212) 564-3030
Datamor
132 W. 31st St.
New York, N.Y. 10001
DATA SERVICES
and
COMPUTER TIME
available
IBM 360-30
California Mailing
Services, Inc.
2285 Paragon Drive
San Jose, CA 95131
(408) 263-4440
PDP 11/70 TIME
AVAILABLE
RSX-11M or
RSTS/E
RP04, TWU16, DH-11,
FP11-C Hands-On or
Remote Access
Contact: Ray Schildknecht
(201) 843-5300
National Data Systems, Inc.
299 Market St.
Saddle Brook, N.J. 07662
SOFTWARE
FOR SAG
MARKETING SERVICES:
JAPAN AND THE FAR EAST
As a matter of fact, Japan is
now the #2 market for DP prod¬
ucts and services. If your com¬
pany is looking for its shares of
the market, our staff of over 50
full-time Oriental and American
professionals stand ready to help
you.
Com-Stute, a Michigan corpora¬
tion with offices in Japan and
Hong Kong, is currently expand¬
ing its programming services to
include all phases of Marketing.
Com-Stute is knowledgeable in
dealing with the Oriental business
community, government agencies,
marketing customs and all phases
of programming and
other technical support, it can
offer facilities, staffing, market
planning and overall coordination.
If you are interested in expand¬
ing your efforts in Japan or the
Far East, please send your in¬
quiries to:
E.M. Federcell, Pres.
Com-Stute, Inc.
1115 Lyon Street
Flint, Mich. 48503
J.C. Berston, V.P.
Com-Stute, Inc.
Box 283 Port Post Office
Yokohama, Japan 231-91
c&>
V rf ^ o
. »
Afr i
WV ®
A& / *
J/r\ /} *
44
/O o
. in
& £
FREE SOFTWARE
Why pay thousands of dollars for
Payroll, Billing, Inventory, or Ac¬
counts Receivable software. Un¬
like other software cos. we don't
believe in making all our profit
off you! We have compiled a Li¬
brary ot Money making, Money
saving! Advanced Business pro¬
grams, all written in a language
your computer will comprehend,
BASIC. We also offer Games Eng,
Stat, etc. For a little more than
the price of the paper you could
own tens of thousands of $$$
worth ot powerful software. Vol.
Ill Ad. Bus. $39. 95. While they
last. Add $2 for hndl. plus post¬
age. (Includes: A/R, Inventory,
Payroll, etc. software) CASH/
CK/MO/MC/BAC * S.R.I. 1 71 2C
Farmington Ct., Crofton, MD
21 114. _
THE PRI PROGRAM TESTER
TRAPS ALL ABEND CONDITIONS
COBOL, PLI, ALP, FORTRAN
360, 370, OS, VS
Translates Common Errors Into Understandable English Language Diag¬
noses Including Probable Cause And Solution • Dynamically Corrects Data
Errors • Reduces Debugging Time By 20 Percent.
PRI
Program Resources, Inc.
12000 Old Georgetown Rd., Suite N1009
Rockville, Maryland 20852
(301) 770-4414
Retrieve
Sales/Use Tax rates
automatically
with
IAIESTAX
Many firms avoid costly tax
assessments and save valu¬
able staff time too, with . . .
IALEITAX
the magnetic tape file of all
Sales/Use Tax Rates. Up¬
dated monthly. For free bro¬
chure call or write:
VERTEX KJITEMIim.
anMAIcompany
1018 W. Eighth Avenue
King of Prussia, PA 19406
215-337-0500
INCREASE PEOPLE
PRODUCTIVITY & REDUCE
DISK WASTAGE!
USCVTOC is an intelligent re¬
placement for the LISTYTOC
function of I EHLIST :
- data sets are listed alphabetically
- no control cards are needed
- ISAM detail and an extent map
can be selected
- print format is flexible and proc¬
essing is efficient
IEHLIST hides important infor¬
mation in a voluminous maze of
printout, USCVTOC puts that
data at the fingertips of your pro¬
grammers, operators, and man¬
agers.
$500 one time fee includes a 30
day free trial.
Utility Software Co., 1208 Via
Del Sol, San Dimas, Calif. 91773.
OPflC Payroll
mtgfitlert/yrtemofAII
• GimprehensLve tax mcxiule
• Customized personnel processing
• Most flexible report writer
•Powerful general ledger interface
Other financial systems:
General Ledger
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
MB ®
Elm Square, Andover, Mass. 01810
~ (617)475-5040
sSJ Registered trademark of Soft¬
ware International Corporation
HASP-11
HASP multileaving RJE soft¬
ware for DEC PDP-11 's under
RT-11, RSX-11M, RSX-11D,
IAS, and DOS.
• Links PDP-lls with HASP cen¬
trals or other remote worksta¬
tions.
• Concurrent tasks can control
operation of HASP-11
• Ideal communications base for
distributed processing develop¬
ment
• Field proven reliability (over 3
years).
Sources — Quantity Discounts —
OEM Arrangements
Contact for further details:
SOFTWARE MARKETING
Oregon Research Institute
P.O. Box 3196
Eugene, Ore. 97403
(503) 484-2123
MMS
Accounts Payable-II .
Keeps The Well
From Going Dry!
Exclusive features.
• Data base design — all COBOL
- • Complete vendor
f financial history
• Cash commitments
by date in detail
and summary
• Duplicate vendor
invoice control
7/
up
/ Move to
ACCOUNTING IV
' General Ledger and
Financial Reporting
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Three fully integrated financial
application systems, proved during
years of successful use. Totally
ANS COBOL. Call or write today
systems:
Accounts Receivable
General Ledger
Payroll
Elm Square, Andover, Ma. 01810
^ (617) 475*5040
® Registered trademarks of
Software International Corp.
for details.
informatics inc
World's Largest in
Software Products
65 Route 4, River Edge, NJ 07661
New York: (212) 564-1258
New Jersey: (201) 488-2100
Chicago: (312) 325-5960
Los Angeles: (213) 887-9040
Massachusetts: (617) 481-1180
Philadelphia: (215) 265-7448
Sacramento: (916) 961-1881
Stamford, CT: (203) 357-7924
Dallas: (214) 750-0800
RPG II SYSTEMS
•A/R-OPEN ITEM OR B/F
•ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
•GENERAL LEDGER
•PAYROLL AND LABOR DIST.
•INVENTORY
•CREDIT UNION' MAILING, ETC
Extensive Documentation Provided
Bancroft Computer Systems
P.O. Box 1533, Dept. C
West Monroe, LA. 71291
(318) 388-2236
Weather the
Stormy Seventies
with MMS
GENERAL LEDGER
MEDICAL BILLING
Complete Billing and In¬
surance Processing for
doctors, groups and clinics.
• Complete Insurance Forms
• Profile, RVS, ICDA Files
• Bal. Forward, Ledger
• COBOL or RPG II
• DOS or OS
• 360/370 or mini-computers
Occidental Computer Systems
10202 Riverside Drive
No. Hollywood, Calif. 91602
(213) 763-5144
• Maximizes Internal Control
• Strengthens Cash
Management
• Provides Most Reliable
Forecasting
Other Financial Systems: •
Accounts Receivable
Accounts Payable
Payroll Personnel
£Kayjs%vj£a®
Elm Square, Andover, Mass. 01810
(617)475-5040
©Registered trademark of Soft¬
ware International Corporation
Whether you're buying, selling, swapping, hiring or looking,
Computerworld's Classifieds work.
Issue Date: Ad closing is every Friday, 10 days prior to issue date.
Sections: Please be sure to specify the section you want: Time and
Services, Software for Sale, Position Announcements and Buy/Sell/
Swap. (Available upon request: Software Wanted, Turnkey Systems and
Real Estate.)
Copy: We'll typeset your ad at no extra charge. Please attach CLEAN
typewritten copy.
Cost: Our rates are $49.70 per column inch. Minimum size is two
column inches and costs $99.40 per insertion. Extra space is available in
half-inch increments and costs $24.85. Box numbers are $1 .00 extra.
Billing: If you're a first-time advertiser, we must have your payment in
advance.
Ad Size: -
Signature .
Name: _
Issue (Date(s):
Section:.
Company :
Address: _
Title:
Tel:
Send this form to: Pam Palmer, Classified Advertising,
or Kathy Steinberg, Position Announcements
COMPUTE RWORLD, 797 Washington St., Newton, Mass. 02160
February 28, 1977
B COMPUTERWORLD
Page 73
COMPUTERWORLD Computer Stocks Trading Indexes
195
190
185
180
175
170
165
160
155
150
145
140
135
130
125
120
115
110
105
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
Computer Systems
Peripherals & Subsystems
•Supplies & Accessories
- Software & E D P Services
. Leasing Companies
- CW Composite Index
t
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7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24
OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB
Earnings
Reports
RAYTHEON
Year Ended Dec. 31
1976
1975
(000)
(000)
Shr Ernd
$5.58
$4.69
Revenue
2,462,770
2,245,445
Earnings
85,242
70,973
3 Mo Shr
1.39
1.11
Revenue
687,405
595,196
Earnings
21,241
16,809
ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL
Three Months Ended Dec. 31
1976
1975
(000)
(00)
Shr Ernd
$.76
$.61
Revenue
1,348,300
1,188,000
Disc Op
a1,800
Earnings
29,300
22,600
a-lncludes $200,000 from operations of discon¬
tinued units and $1.6 million from gain on sale
of discontinued units.
SCIENTIFIC-ATLANT A
Three Months Ended Dec. 31
1976
1975
Shr Ernd
$.40
$.31
Revenue
12,708.000
11,183,000
Earnings
667,000
456,000
6 Mo Shr
.73
.54
Revenue
23,846,000
20,375,000
Earnings
1,211,000
609,000
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
Six Months Ended Dec. 26
1976
1975
Shr Ernd
$.59
$.49
Revenue
60,144,000
51,593,000
Earnings
1,115,000
889,000
TAB PRODUCTS
Three Months Ended Nov. 30
1976
1975
Shr Sfnd
$.75
$.30
Revenue
12,225,000
8,749,000
Earnings
621,000
248,000
6 Mo Shr
1.41
.54
Revenue
24,202,000
17,352,000
Earnings
1,174,000
448,000
MINI-COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Year Ended Oct. 31
1976
1975
Shr Ernd
$1.17
$.64
Revenue
8,616,000
5,075,000
Spec Cred
98,000
Earnings
819,000
393,000
Computerworld
Sa! es Off ices
Vice-President/Marketi ng
Roy Einreinhofer
Advertising Administrator
Judy Milford
COMPUTERWORLD
797 Washington Street
Newton, Mass. 02160
Phone: (617) 965-5800
Telex: USA-92-2529
Boston
Robert Ziegel
Northern Regional Manager
Mike Burman
Account Manager
COMPUTERWORLD
•797 Washington Street
Newton, Mass. 02160
Phone: (617) 965-5800
New York
Donald E. Fagan
Eastern Regional Manager
Frank Gallo
Account Manager
COMPUTERWORLD
2125 Center Avenue
Fort Lee, N.J. 07024
Phone: (201) 461-2575
San Francisco
Bill Healey
Western Regional Manager
Jim Richardson
Account Manager
Donna Dezelan
Account Coordinator
COMPUTERWORLD
1212 Hearst Bldg.
San Francisco, Calif. 94103
Phone. (415) 495-0990
Los Angeles
Bill Healey
Western Regional Manager
Jim Richardson
Account Manager
Chris Canary
Account Coordinator
1434 Westwood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(213) 475-8486
Japan :
Mr. Shigema Takahashi
General Manager
Dempa/Computerworld
1-11-15 Higashi Gotanda
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141
Phone: (03) 445-6101
Telex: Japan-26792
United Kingdom:
Roger R. F ramp ton
Computerworld Publishing Ltd.
140-146 Camden Street
London NW1 9PF, England
Phone: (01) 485-2248'
Telex: UK-26-47-37
West Germany:
Manfred Kufner
Computerworld GmbH
8000 Munich 40
T ristanstrasse 1 1
West Germany
Phone: (089) 36-40-36
Telex: W.Ger-5-21 5250-H KF D
Computerworld Stock Trading Summary
TRADF *quotes
CLOSING PRICES WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1977
All statistics compiled,
computed and formatted by
TRADEWQUOTES, INC.
Cambridge, Mass. 021 39
NET
CHNGE
. - PRICE -
1976-77 CLOSE WEEK
RANGE FEB 23
(1) 1977
COMPUTER SYSTEMS
WEEK
PCT
CHNGE
AMDAHL CORP
BURROUGHS CORP
COMPUTER AUTOMATION
CONTROL DATA CORP
DATA GENERAL CORP
DATAPCINT CORP
DIGITAL CCMP CONTROL
DIGITAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC ASSOC.
ELECTRONIC ENGINEER.
FOUR-PHASE SYSTEMS
EOXBOP3
GENERAL AUTOMATION
GRI CCMP4JTFR i.3RP
HEWLETT-PACKARD CO
HONEYWELL INC
IBP
management assist
MEMOREX
MICROOATA CORP
MODULAR COMPUTER SYS
NCR
PRIME COMPUTER INC
PEEKIN-ELMER
RAYTHEON CO
SPERRY RAND
SYCOR INC
SYSTEMS ENG. LABS
VAR I AN ASSOCIATES
WANG LABS.
BOCTHE COMPUTER CORP
Cr«OISCO INC
CCMMERCE GROUP CORP
COMPUTER INVSTRS GRP
DATRONIC RENTAL
DC L INC
OPF INC
ITEL
LEASCC CORP
LEASPAC CORP '
NRG INC
PICNEER TEX "CORP
U.S. LEASING
EXCHs N.NEW YORK; A-AMERICAN; P=PHIL-BALT-WASH
L'NATIONALJ M*MIDWEST ; O=0VER-THE-C0UNTER
O-T-C PRICES ARE BID PRICES AS OF 3 P.M. OR LAST BID
(11 TO NEAREST DOLLAR
- PRICE -
1976-77 CLOSE
RANGE FEB 23
( 1 ) 1977
SOFTWARE C EDP SERVICES
ADVANCED COMP TECH
ANACOMP INC
1-
6-
3
11
1/2
1/4
WEEK
NET
CH, GE
♦ 1/8
- 1/4
WEFK
PCT
CHNGE
♦9.0
-2.9
2 3- 40
32
1/2
-1 1/4
-3.7
A
APPLIED DATA kES.
2- 7
5
3/4
- 1/4
-4.1
69-108
70
5/8
-2 3/8
-3.2
N
AUTOMATIC DATA PROC
17- 35
23
7/8
- 1/8
-0.5
10- 25
23
1/4
- 1/2
-2.1
0
COLEMAN AMFRIcAN COS
2- 6
2
1/8
0
0.0
18- 27
22
3/8
- 5/8
-2.7
n
CCMPU-SERV NETWORK
3r 15
13
3/4
- 1/4
-1.7
40- 60
44
1/2
- 3/8
-0.8
n
COMPUT-R DIMENSIONS
3- 7
6
5/8
0
0.0
21- 46
21
1/2
-2 1/4
-9.4
0
CCMP ELECTION SYSTMS
5- 9
7
- 1/2
-6.6
2- 7
6
5/3
0
0.0
D
COMPUTER HORIZONS
1- 2
1
1/4
- 1/4
-16.6
44- 60
45
1/4
-1
-2.1
0
COMPUTER NETWORK
2- 8
6
5/8
- 1/2
-7.0
2- 5
2
1/4
- 1/4
-10.0
N
COMPUTER SCIENCES
4- 9
7
1/2
- 1/4
-3.2
7- 16
7
7/8
- 1/2
-5.9
C
COMPUTER TASK GROUP
1- 2
1
1/4
0
0.0
13- 21
13
5/8
-1 1/4
-8.4
0
COMPUTER USAGE
2- 6
2
5/8
♦ 1/8
♦ 5.0
28- 51
43
1/4
0
0.0
o
CCMSHARr
2- 9
5
1/2
0
0.0
4-11
7
5/8
- 5/8
-7.5
n
DATA DIMENSIONS INC
2- 5
4
7/8
0
0.0
1- 1
3/8
0
0.0
n
DATATAB
1- 2
1
7/8
♦ 3/3
♦ 25.0
60-117
73
-2
-2.6
N
ELECTRONIC DATA SYS.
12- 19
16
7/8
-1 3/8
-7.5
34- 56
45
5/S
♦ 1/4
♦ 0.5
0
I NFONAT IONAL INC
1- 1
1/B
0
0.0
227-288
276
1/4
♦ 4 3/4
♦ 1.7
1
TNSYTE CORP
1- 3
2
1/4
- l/»
-5.2
1- 9
6
- 1/4
-3.0
0
IPS COMPUTER MARKET.
1- 2
3/4
0
0.0
17- 33
26
♦ 3/8
♦ 1.4
9- 28
9
3/8
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n
kfane ASSOCIATES
2- 4
2
1/2
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KEYDATA CORP
1- 5
2
7/8
♦ 1/4
♦9.5
3- 14
5
- 3/4
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A
LOGICON
3- 9
9
♦ 1/4
♦ 2.8
24- 38
36
5/8
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MANAGEMENT DATA
1- 3*
1
5/9
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4- 18
15
0
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NATIONAL CSS INC
13- 25
21
3/8
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IB- 27
IP
1/B
- 1/4
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NATIONAL DATA CORP
4- 7
5
7/8
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45- 67
57
1/4
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&
ON LINE SYSTEMS INC
17- 23
20
-1 1/4
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38- 52
39
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3- 5
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7/8
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9- 31
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1- 1
3/8
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5- 10
6
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2- 5
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3/4
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12- 19
17
3/4
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13- 21
18
0
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11- 20
16
3/8
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scientific computers
1- 2
1
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14- 28
14
3/4
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3- 5
4
3/8
♦ 1/4
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1- 7
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3/4
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1- 9
10
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2- 3
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- 1/8
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8- 14
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4- 10
7
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5- 10
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12- 25
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3- 12
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- 1/8
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7- 11
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6- 11
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4- 7
3
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10
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n CODEX CORP 22- 47
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N CONRAC CORP 20- 27
25 1/2
42 1/4
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5 5/8
4
1
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1976-77
RANGE
(1)
- oc ICE -
CLOSE WEEK
FEB 23
1977
NFT
CHNGE
WEFK
PCT
CHNGE
DATA ACCESS SYSTEMS
nATA 100
DATA PRODUCTS CORP
DATA TECHNOLOGY
DATUM INC
DECISION DATA COMPUT
DELTA DATA SYSTEMS
ELECTRONIC M 6 M
FABRI-TEK
GF NEPAL COMPUTER SYS
hazeltine CCRP
HARRIS CORP
T NCOTERM CORP
INFDREX INC
INFORMATION INTL INC
INTEL CQPR
LUNDY ELECTRONICS
MSI DATA CORO
MILGC ELECTRONICS
MOHAWK DATA SCI
PFNRIL CORP
PERTEC CO00
PCTTER INSTRUMENT
RRFCI SION INST.
QUANTOR CORP
RECOGNITION EOUIP
SANDERS ASSOCIATES
SCAN DATA
STORAGE TECHNJLOGY
T BAR INC
TALLV CORP.
TEC INC
TEKTRONIX INC
TELEX
WANGCO INC
WILTFK INC
ADVANCED SYSTEMS INC
BALTIMORE 9US FORMS
PARRY WRIGHT
cypermatics INC
DATA DOCUMENTS
DUPLEX PRODUCTS INC
ENNIS 8US • FORMS
GRAHAM MAGNETICS
GRAPHIC CONTROLS
3M COMPANY
MCCRE CORP LTD
NASHUA CORP
STANDARD REGISTER
TAB PRODUCTS CO
'JARCO
WABASH MAGNETICS
WALLACE BUS FORMS
1- 5
5
1/4
0
0.0
6- 13
7
1/8
- 1/8
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5- 15
11
-l 1/8
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1- 4
2
0
0.0
1- 1
1/2
0
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1- 4
4
0
0.0
1- 1
1
0
0.0
0- 2
1/2
0
0.0
4- 12
10
3/4
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27- 35
32
1/8
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9- 20
13
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45- 69
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5 ACCESSORIES
1- 4
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3- 5
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41
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13- 24
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49- 66
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♦ 1 3/8
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15- 19
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-1.2
THE FINANCIAL SOFTWARE COMPANY
Management Science America, Inc.
3445 Peachtree Road, N.E., Dept. J-1
Atlanta, Georgia 30326, (404) 262-2376
Chicago 312-986-2450;
Los Angeles 213-822-9766;
New York-201-871-4700
NAME _ _
COMPANY _
TITLE _
ADDRESS _
CITY _
STATE _ _ _ _ _ ZIP.
PHONE _
COMPUTER MODEL _
I am interested in
□ General Ledger FICS
□ Personnel Management
and Reporting
□ Fbyroll Accounting
□ ALLTAX™
□ Supplies Inventory Control and
Purchasing
□ Accounts Receivable
□ Accounts Payable
□ Financial Information and Control
□ Fixed Asset Property Accounting
"Flabberaaited wasn't
the worcffar it!”
For further information, call
Marge Kimbrough at (404) 262-2376
or mail this coupon.
“When ! did a little arithmetic and realized that
our company’s systems helped our clients man¬
age well over three trillion dollars in assets last
year alone.” Francis Tarkenton, MSA
MSA has a full line of financial software. With
systems including General Ledger, Payroll
Accounting, ALLTAX," Accounts Receivable,
Accounts Payable, Financial Information and
Control, Personnel Management and
Reporting, Fixed Asset/ Properly Accounting,
Supplies Inventory Control and Purchasing.
Right now, we have more than 2,000 clients
coast to coast utilizing one or more of our
systems. And the assets we're helping man¬
age add up to well over three trillion
dollars. We've got the systems to help you
manage your business. And the support
staff in the field to insure that everything
runs smoothly.
Member SI A Software Industry Association
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